Are MP3 Players The New Stethoscopes?

According to Canadian researchers Dr. Neil Skjodt and Bill Hodgetss MP3 players with built in microphones make for a better stethoscope. Why? Because the plastic shell that they are encased in makes capturing low resonance notes easier. They can also record the sounds – which allows for file archiving and the the ability for far away experts to analyze a problem via the internet.

Whether you are using a traditional stethoscope or an MP3 player, determining what chest or heart sounds mean is sill more of an art than it is a science. However, initial research has shown that accuracy has been higher with the recorded sounds – which shows that MP3 players have the potential to be a lot more than a place to store all of your crappy music. � Sean Fallon

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