A Low-Cost USB-Compatible Electronic Stethoscope Unit for Multi-channel Lung Sound Acquisition

Abstract

The diagnosis of respiratory diseases relies largely on auscultation. To further improve the diagnosis quality, continuous acoustic multi-channel surveillance of the airways is highly desirable. The application of multiple sensors around the thorax implies size and cost constraints for the sensors. In this article we first report on the design and development of a wearable and low-cost electronic stethoscope which is easy to integrate in a garment. We then analyzed the noise and linearity of the recorded sound signal and benchmarked a prototype with a standard stethoscope which is widely used in clinical practice.