Steth IO
Overview
Steth IO, developed by STRATOSCIENTIFIC, is an innovative smartphone-powered stethoscope designed to modernize cardiovascular and respiratory examinations. It integrates a physical device that attaches to a smartphone with a dedicated mobile application, allowing healthcare providers to not only hear but also visualize heart and lung sounds in real-time as phonocardiograms or spectrograms. The system enhances diagnostic confidence by providing both auditory and visual data, aiding in the identification of abnormalities like cardiac murmurs.
Beyond traditional auscultation, Steth IO offers advanced telemedicine and remote patient monitoring capabilities. It enables secure recording and saving of patient exams, which can then be shared with specialists for review. The platform supports live auscultation during video calls, appointment scheduling, and patient notification for compliance, facilitating comprehensive continuous care. Steth IO incorporates digital filters to enhance sounds of interest and attenuate ambient noise, along with an annotation tool for detailed exam notes. It is an FDA-cleared Class II medical device, intended for use by healthcare providers in various clinical environments and for guided use by lay users in non-clinical settings for physical examination.
Reviewed by Pouyan Golshani, MD — Interventional Radiologist
Key Features
- Smartphone-powered stethoscope hardware and app
- Real-time visualization of heart and lung sounds (phonocardiogram/spectrogram)
- Record and save patient exams
- Share exams with specialists/other healthcare providers
- Digital filters for sound enhancement and ambient noise attenuation
- Annotation tool for adding notes to exams
- Telemedicine capabilities (live auscultation, video calls, scheduling)
- Remote patient monitoring
- Assisted Intelligence (BETA) for algorithmic interpretation of phonocardiograms
- Cloud-based system for data analysis and secure storage
Use Cases
- Routine cardiovascular and respiratory examination in primary care settings
- Teaching tool for medical students and residents
- Reducing referrals for more complex investigations like echocardiography
- Remote patient monitoring for management of chronic conditions
- Telemedicine for episodic care and thorough patient evaluations
- Streamlining clinical trial data collection and archiving patient records
What Physicians Need to Know
Steth IO serves as a valuable diagnostic aid, enhancing traditional auscultation by providing visual and AI-assisted analysis of heart and lung sounds. It is particularly useful for screening, remote patient monitoring, and potentially reducing the need for more complex investigations like echocardiography by improving early detection of cardiac abnormalities. Remember that the AI analysis is an assistive tool and should be confirmed with clinical examination.
The Steth IO system is an iOS-based smartphone stethoscope that integrates with an accompanying app, turning an iPhone into a smart stethoscope. It supports telehealth platforms, enabling secure data sharing with healthcare providers and facilitating live auscultation during telemedicine calls. The solution is designed for scalable, remote patient care that connects to any mobile device.
Details
| Category | Cardiology AI, Telehealth & Virtual Care, Wearables & Remote Monitoring (RPM) |
| Pricing |
Customized pricing; subscription-based for steth io spot.
|
| Deployment | Mobile app, Cloud-based system. |
| Compliance | |
| BAA Available | Unknown AI-estimated |
| HIPAA Compliant | Unknown AI-estimated |
| FDA Status |
1 AI-estimated The StratoScientific Steth IO Stethoscope and Phonocardiogram Model 1.0 (K160016, cleared 07/15/2016) is intended for medical diagnostic purposes for the detection and amplification of heart and lung sounds with selective frequency ranges, tested for use on adults undergoing a physical assessment. Steth IO Spot (K220196, cleared 03/24/2022) is also an electronic stethoscope for amplification, filtering, and transmission of auscultation sound data. |
| Integrations | |
| EHR | Not specified |
| Specialties | Cardiology, Internal Medicine, Pulmonology |
What the Web Says
Steth IO is an FDA-cleared, iOS-based smartphone stethoscope that transforms an iPhone into a high-end stethoscope, allowing healthcare providers to hear, visualize, and record heart and lung sounds. It aims to improve diagnostic accuracy by combining auditory and visual signals, and it offers features like volume adjustment, real-time phonocardiogram visualization, and the ability to save and share exams. The device also incorporates an AI assistant to help doctors detect abnormal heart sounds, with reported accuracy significantly higher than traditional stethoscopes.
Overall: PositiveStrengths
- Enhanced diagnostic accuracy through combined audio and visual data.
- Ability to adjust volume, making it easier to detect subtle murmurs.
- Real-time visualization of heart and lung sounds (phonocardiogram).
- Recording and sharing of exams for specialist review and comparison over time.
- Potential to improve telemedicine by enabling real-time remote examinations.
- User-friendly and easy to adopt for healthcare professionals.
Limitations
- Currently only available for iPhones, limiting accessibility for Android users.
- Some features, including telehealth consultations, may require additional fees.
- Limited extensive clinical studies compared to traditional methods.
- Performance can slow down when connected to Chrome (though this might be referring to a different product also named Stetho).
- Lack of robust community and user support compared to larger companies.
- The AI assistant is not designed to make actual judgments about patient health, serving as a tool for a second opinion.
Based on reviews from: App Store (Apple), PCI-Lab, GeekWire, Accellabs, University of Washington, Steth IO, The World's Directory of Digital Health Apps, Devices & Innovations, YouTube, Telaspot
Last updated: 2026-07-22
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Press & Coverage
Videos
Product demos, reviews, and walkthroughs for Steth IO.
Steth IO Spot
Steth IO by StratoScientific
Steth IO - a smartphone stethoscope
Patient Innovation
Suman Mulumudi - Democratizing the Stethoscope
InnovateMED Columbia University Medical Center
Dr. Mahesh Mulumudi, cardiologist at The Everett Clinic, talks about the department of cardiology.
The Everett Clinic, part of Optum
A New Generation of Healthcare Technology Startups - Newchip ODW - March 2021
Newchip
Frequently Asked Questions
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