AI stethoscope could detect heart conditions in seconds

The stethoscope — that iconic doctor's tool invented back in 1816 — just got a 21st-century upgrade. A British research team has been testing a new AI-powered version that can pick up heart problems in seconds. Instead of relying on a doctor's ear, this little gadget listens, records, and sends data to the cloud, where AI does the heavy lifting. Researchers call it a potential "game-changer" that could enable patients to be diagnosed and treated much sooner.

How does it work?

Forget the classic cold metal chest piece. This device replaces it with a small, card-sized sensor that functions like a digital ear. Here's what happens:

• It records the heartbeat and blood flow through a sensitive microphone.
• It captures an ECG (electrocardiogram) on the spot, measuring the heart's electrical signals.
• That data is uploaded to the cloud and analyzed by AI trained on tens of thousands of patient records.

The system can detect three major heart conditions — heart failure, valve disease, and abnormal rhythms — almost instantly. Dr. Sonya Babu-Narayan of the British Heart Foundation calls it "an elegant example of how the humble stethoscope... can be upgraded for the 21st century."

Why does it matter?

Time is everything in cardiology. Heart failure and arrhythmias often go unnoticed until it's too late — sometimes only when a patient ends up in the ER. The study found:

• Patients with heart failure were 2.33 times more likely to get diagnosed within a year using the AI stethoscope.
• Abnormal heart rhythms — a major stroke risk — were 3.5 times more likely to be caught.
• Heart valve disease was 1.9 times more likely to be spotted.

As Dr. Babu-Narayan put it, earlier diagnosis means "people can access the treatment they need to help them live well for longer."

The context

This wasn't a small pilot — it was a real-world test. Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust ran the trial in 96 GP surgeries, examining over 12,000 patients with devices from U.S.-based Eko Health. Their results were compared with 109 GP surgeries that stuck with traditional methods.

The findings were unveiled at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Madrid, the biggest heart conference on the planet. And this is just the start — rollout plans are already underway for GP practices across South London, Sussex, and Wales.

If it delivers at scale, the AI stethoscope could transform primary care — taking a tool that's been essentially unchanged for 200 years and turning it into a frontline AI-powered early-warning system.