US-based medical company Eko Devices will launch its new Eko device, a stethoscope attachment and software that allows doctors to convert an analog stethoscope into a fully functional digital stethoscope, at DEMO Enterprise 2014.
The digital stethoscope device provides clinicians with unprecedented heart sound amplification, recording, collaboration, and analysis using existing analog stethoscopes.
Eko Devices co-founder and CEO Connor Landgraf noted that studies show that four out of five new primary care doctors can not accurately diagnose heart defects.
"Heart murmurs are hard to hear and identify even for the best of doctors. Eko’s technology enables clinicians to amplify, record, and analyze heart sounds through the stethoscope they already own, making them better able to discern who does and does not need further testing," Landgraf added.
The Eko Core device is attached inline with the tubing of a stethoscope, amplifying and transmitting high-quality digitized heart sounds through the stethoscope’s earbuds, and digitally streams the sounds to the Eko Software on a smartphone or tablet.
Eko Software allows clinicians to quickly analyze a heartbeat, visualize the audio waveform, record and playback heart sounds, and export them to a patient’s electronic health records or to another practitioner for a second opinion.
Eko Core attachment digitize patient heart sounds, amplifies sounds into stethoscope earpieces for easier hearing, and stream sounds to smart devices using Bluetooth LE technology.
Eko Software enables visualize sound waveform for easy analysis, records, saves, slows down, and playback heart sounds. These sounds can be shared with other physicians or specialists for follow-up. Heart murmur detection algorithm analyzes sounds at point of care.
Eko can be integrated seamlessly into private practices, small clinics, or large hospital systems, and is designed for use by millions of clinicians in the US who use a stethoscope.
With the Eko device, any clinician, from a recent medical school graduate to a seasoned primary care doctor, can easily differentiate between benign and pathologic heart murmurs.
Pediatricians can monitor heart sounds and murmurs as a child ages by storing heart sounds during checkups and creating a timeline of a child’s heart. Finally, cardiologists can visualize heart sounds and securely share them with other physicians for increased diagnostic collaboration.
The company is beginning clinical pilots with Bay Area hospitals and anticipated completing the US Food and Drug Administration clearance process for Eko by December 2014.
Image: Eko Devices unveils the Eko Core device. Photo: Courtesy of MarketWire/Eko Devices