A binaural electronic stethoscope adapted to receive auscultatory sounds from a body and adapted to transmit the auscultatory sounds to a user. A chestpiece is adapted to be utilized in cooperation with the body. An acoustical transducer cooperates with the chestpiece and receives auscultatory sounds and transforms the auscultatory sounds into an electrical input signal. A signal processor processes the electrical input signal to produce an electrical output signal. A first tubular member couples the chestpiece to a housing. A speaker is mounted within the housing and converts the electrical output signal into an acoustical output signal. Second and third tubular members are coupled to the housing and are acoustically coupled to the speaker. First and second earpieces are coupled to the second and third tubular members, respectively, and receive the acoustical output signal and provide the acoustical output signal to the user. The first tubular member has an acoustical cavity acoustically coupled to the speaker in the housing. In this way, the acoustical cavity of the first tubular member and the second and third tubular members form a sound chamber both in front of and behind the speaker providing balanced acoustical response.

An apparatus for measuring the cardiac valve function of a person by analyzing an acoustic signal from the heart. The acoustic signal is synchronized with the electrocardiographic signal obtained from the heart. In order to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the input electrocardiographic signal, the mains-synchronous noise is subtracted from the input electrocardiographic signal. Before analysis of the acoustic signal, a weighting is performed, compensating for individual differences in, in particular, the layer of body fat.

The present invention relates to a sensing device for capturing acoustic heart sounds. The sensing device has a diaphragm formed from a piezoelectric transducer material which generates excitation signals in response to acoustic and vibratory energy outputs. The sensing device includes metallization layers on the diaphragm for receiving and transmitting the excitation signals to an output display device via associated electrical contacts and electrical leads and also includes a layer of adhesive material for coupling the sensing device to the subject. The sensing device further includes snap connectors for allowing the device to be quickly disengaged from electrical leads and discarded. A patch sensor device is disclosed which enables acoustic outputs to be triangulated and pinpointed.

An electronic stethoscope comprises a headpiece, a chest-piece and two earpieces. The headpiece is fitted with a display arrangement in the form of a liquid-crystal display. A microphone, one or more sensors and fixed electrodes and movable electrodes are mounted in the headpiece. The movable electrodes are fixed to pivoted arms which form a contact ring.

An apparatus for auscultation and percussion of a human or animal body has a stethoscope with a diaphragm on one side of a head thereof, and a percussion mechanism positioned in the head for selectively producing a percussion against the body such that a sound from the percussion mechanism is passed through a tube connected to the head. The percussion mechanism includes a cylinder positioned within the head, a piston slidably positioned within the cylinder, and an activator lever connected to the piston for moving the piston between a first position adjacent to an impact element and a second position away from the impact element.