The smart Eko DUO stethoscope with artificial intelligence revolutionizes cardiac diagnostics, allowing doctors to detect heart diseases in 15 seconds with accuracy exceeding human hearing capabilities.
G. Ostrov
Medical diagnostics takes another step into the future thanks to the integration of artificial intelligence into classic medical instruments. The stethoscope, invented in 1816, has received a revolutionary upgrade in the form of the Eko DUO device.
From Mechanics to Digital Diagnostics
The classic stethoscope works on a simple principle: it amplifies heart sounds and lung rales, helping doctors notice disorders by relying exclusively on hearing and the specialist's experience. However, human hearing has limitations in recognizing subtle sound patterns.
The smart Eko DUO stethoscope radically changes the approach to diagnostics. The device records heartbeats using a built-in high-sensitivity microphone, automatically counts pulse, and simultaneously takes an electrocardiogram (ECG).
Diagnostic Technology
The diagnostic process is maximally simplified and takes only 15 seconds. The doctor simply needs to place the device on the patient's chest. Recorded data is instantly transmitted via Bluetooth to the doctor's smartphone and then automatically uploaded to the cloud system for analysis.
The heart of the technology is a neural network trained on data from tens of thousands of patients with various heart disorders. The AI analyzes sound patterns that human ears are physically incapable of distinguishing and sends a detailed conclusion to the doctor's smartphone within seconds.
Clinical Trials and Results
The technology's effectiveness was verified in a large-scale study conducted at medical institutions in the United Kingdom. The trial involved 205 clinics: 96 hospitals in London and North Wales used AI stethoscopes, while 109 medical facilities worked with traditional methods.
Analysis of data from more than 12,700 patients showed impressive diagnostic accuracy results using AI:
- Heart failure — diagnosed 2.3 times more often
- Arrhythmia — detected 3.5 times more often
- Heart valve defects — discovered twice as often
Features and Limitations
It's important to note one nuance of the technology: when diagnosing heart failure, in two out of three cases, subsequent detailed examination did not confirm the device's initial suspicions. This indicates the system's high sensitivity, which leads to a certain number of false-positive results.
However, medical experts consider this an acceptable compromise. Against the background of the critically important task of not missing a life-threatening diagnosis, the need to conduct several additional tests seems like a completely justified precautionary measure.
Economic Efficiency
Eko DUO stethoscopes cost about $400, which is approximately 20 times more expensive than a regular stethoscope. At first glance, this may seem like a significant investment, but economic analysis shows the opposite.
According to researchers' calculations, early diagnosis of heart failure saves £2,400 ($3,250) on emergency hospitalization for each patient. Considering that cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death worldwide, the economic benefit of implementing the technology is obvious.
More information about Eko technology can be found on the company's official website.
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