Rethinking a medical tool from the ears down

Get your vitals checked lately? When a doctor needs to listen to your heartbeat or breathing, they often turn to one specific tool: the stethoscope. And this timeless device just got an upgrade. It’s called the U-Scope, it’s an FDA-approved stethoscope redesigned with ergonomic features aimed to be both comfortable and elegant.

The basic design of stethoscopes went unchanged for 200 years. Thus, the team behind the design wondered why the stethoscope has always remained the same. Further, they were curious if the current build was truly the most ideal shape for the medical tool. These questions lead Tokyo-based Classico to rethink the design from the ear down.

• U-Scope is designed so that air doesn’t escape from the diaphragm to the ear piece. This feature is said to minimize sound decay.

• It has an inner T-shaped structure portion which helps reduce the pressure on the ears of its wearer by 30 percent.

• The bell on it is a special chest piece. It has been created through ergonomic designing so it fits naturally in our fingers. It also fits a patient’s body and allows optimum wrist movement for doctors, resulting in better hearing.

• The unit can be folded so doctors can put it in their pocket rather than walk around with it around their neck.

It must be a popular item as its crowdfunding campaign was 260 percent funded. The maker expects to release it in June 2016.

U-Scope | Classico

Originally published at www.psfk.com on March 8, 2016.