Researchers have developed a wireless wearable stethoscope that can remotely and continuously monitor vital signs

CTOnews.com, Nov. 21 (Xinhua)-- researchers at Northwestern University have developed a wireless wearable device that allows doctors to monitor a patient's vital signs by sound, just like a traditional stethoscope. The device allows remote doctors to learn about the patient's lungs, intestines and heart in real time, greatly reducing the need at the bedside.

Real-time monitoring of the sounds of multiple organs can provide better treatment for patients, including premature infants or patients with COVID-19. Dr Ankit Bharat, director of adult research at Northwestern Medical University, said: "the lungs can make a variety of sounds, including popping, wheezing, ripples and whistling, which is a very interesting microenvironment. By continuously monitoring these sounds, we can determine whether the lung health is getting better or worse, and assess how patients react to specific drugs or treatments." Unlike stethoscopes, multiple wearable devices can monitor the heart for irregular heartbeats and intestinal obstruction at the same time.

CTOnews.com noted that the wireless wearable device contains a battery, flash memory, Bluetooth and two microphones and is encapsulated in silicone to minimize skin reactions. One of the microphones faces the outside of the body, which can eliminate the noise of the indoor environment. In this way, the second microphone can capture the faint sound from the body, and then transmit it in real time via Bluetooth to achieve remote patient monitoring. In addition, due to the small size of premature babies, this small device is easier to use than traditional stethoscopes.