Wireless Digital Stethoscope.

Short Bio and Interests

My name is JAFSIA Elisee, I hold a MSc degree in Material Sciences from the University of Yaoundé I in Cameroon. I joined the MboaLab team to work on reliable, interpretable, and steerable projects mainly focused on prototyping medical devices. A lot of my work at the makerspace revolves around 3D printing, CNC routing, 3D modeling, 3D scanning, project planning, and team development. What’s more, I’m always surrounded by creative coworkers and students that are usually working on something I can learn. I also love to design and build electro-mechanical systems. Outside of working hours, you’ll find me hiking, climbing or camping. The outdoors is my second home and I’m most content when I’m lost on an outdoor adventure. I put a lot of energy in making “making” accessible to everyone; that is to say, teaching individuals with different experience levels and areas of expertise how to realize their ideas through manufacturing. Other passions include fixing/troubleshooting because that’s what I’ve been good at since childhood. I’ve got to know about a lot of new tools and machines after joining the MboaLab, learning about them was a good experience. Also, I got to know about various software used for 2D and 3D modeling such as OpenScad, Blender, and Solidworks. My current project is about a digital wireless 3D printed Stethoscope.

The Project

The high cost of modern stethoscopes remains a significant barrier to physicians and allied health professionals practicing in low- and middle-income countries, where few affordable high-quality options exist. Stethoscopes in general are hard to sterilize resulting in a use model where cheap stethoscopes are acquired by the hospital/clinic and one is assigned to each patient, with every professional who works with that patient using the same stethoscope. This can result in crosscontamination as someone touches many stethoscopes. Cheap stethoscopes also wear out quickly and have short hoses, resulting in professionals getting physically closer to the patient than necessary, particularly if they have to put their arm around the patient and listen to positions on the back.

The objective

The objective is to be able to limit the prolonged contact of the nursing staff with the patient and to have a device which can be placed by the patient but interpreted by the practitioner.

The solution

3D technologies have recently proven their efficiency and speed in the medical sector, allowing many projects to see the light of day during the COVID-19 crisis. Faced with the shortage of certain medical equipment and devices, makers, manufacturers, services and players in the 3D printing sector have mobilized to 3D print respirators, protective visors, swabs and connected devices to facilitate medical teleconsultations.In line with this new paradigm, we propose to designan open-source wireless 3D printed Digital Stethoscope.

List of Materials