Stethoscope – a medical device for listening to the internal sounds of an animal or human body. It is often used to listen to lung and heart sounds. It is also used to listen to intestines and blood flow in arteries and veins. In combination with a sphygmomanometer, it is commonly used for measurements of blood pressure.
- “mechanic’s stethoscopes” are used to listen to internal sounds made by machines, such as diagnosing a malfunctioning automobile engine by listening to the sounds of its internal parts. Stethoscopes can also be used to check scientific vacuum chambers for leaks, and for various other small-scale acoustic monitoring tasks.
- Smart Stethoscope – for medical students, a button triggers sounds from a device developed by engineers and doctors. It sends sounds wirelessly into the stethoscope. The sounds are recorded directly from sick patients or from a database of diseases. Students listening through the stethoscope hear things like crackling sounds in the lungs, which could be a sign of pneumonia or congestive heart failure.
Engineering ideas
Do It
Challenges for you to work on…
- Blood pressure simulation – includes audio of blood pressure sounds, interactive simulations, and self-assessment tools.
engineering 4 kids 