For more than four decades, Bongiovi Acoustic Labs has created sound innovations that have revolutionized the world of rock ‘n’ roll. But while these new technologies have brought plenty of joy to the world, we wondered if they could do something more. Could they actually save lives?
Saving lives through the power of sound
A new, mobile telemedicine device harnesses the power of sound to save lives.
Client
- BONGIOVI ACOUSTIC LABS / ARIA
Office
- New York
Challenge
Inspiration
Around the world, one of the most critical challenges in healthcare is also one of the most basic: access. In rural areas, for example, it can take hours to reach a specialist and get necessary, lifesaving care.
However, we are also living in a new era of telemedicine, in which doctors are using technology to treat patients, often from halfway around the globe. Typically, however, the systems involved are large, expensive, and are not available where they are needed most.
But what if we could use Bongiovi’s patented algorithms to create an inexpensive device that could bring a doctor almost anywhere?
Idea
Aria is a low-cost, hygienic, 3D printed digital stethoscope that can deliver cost-effective telemedicine services to patients in remote areas. It connects to an app on a smart phone, which uses Bongiovi technology to improve the sound beyond what many stethoscopes can provide today. As a result, it gives caregivers an her easy and inexpensive way to exchange high-quality patient recordings with specialists around the world.
We tested a prototype of the device in Haiti, where it connected a cardiologist with patients, saving them hours of travel time, while enabling him to do a basic exam without having to have the patient present.
Growth
The device is still in a test phase, however it is already showing great promise. Thanks to 3D printing, Aria costs 1/10 as much as its traditional telemedicine counterpart, while providing greater sound quality. It has also set the stage for further audio innovation in medicine, in which new, low-cost, noninvasive tests could revolutionize the standard of care in many places around the globe.