Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed an innovative multi-sensor stethoscope that significantly improves the diagnosis of heart valve abnormalities. This potentially life-threatening condition is often difficult to detect with a traditional stethoscope.

According to the American Heart Association, heart valve pathology is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular deaths worldwide. Symptoms of the disease may go undetected until later stages and are often misinterpreted as respiratory disease.

Current diagnostic methods such as echocardiograms require specialized equipment and trained personnel. This can lead to long waits for patients. The new stethoscope offers a solution to this problem.

The compact device is equipped with 6 piezoelectric sensors that independently detect vibrations. Thanks to a special silicone gel that absorbs vibrations, each sensor works autonomously. Machine learning algorithms automatically select the most informative data, ignoring lower quality signals.

According to preliminary data, the new stethoscope can effectively detect heart tones associated with heart valve pathology and can be used even by people without medical training. The recordings are analyzed on a wired computer, but integration with smartphones via Bluetooth is planned for the future