Introducing Feelix, a digital stethoscope incorporating active noise control and automatic detection of lung sound abnormalities

Pneumonia is the top disease killer of children under the age of 5 worldwide, and while the definitive diagnosis of pneumonia typically is made with x-rays, only 5% of the world’s population has ready access to radiographic equipment. To address this problem, Sonavi Labs has introduced the Feelix line, a line of digital stethoscopes focused on abnormal lung sound detection. Compared to traditional, mechanical stethoscopes, the Feelix line offers three advantages: reduced sensitivity to placement of the sensing head, active noise cancellation, and automatic detection of lung sound abnormalities using an algorithm that incorporates machine learning. This new line of digital stethoscopes is appropriate for under-resourced regions of the world, for noisy clinics, and for medical professionals who wish to improve their ability to hear lung sounds. Using this line of digital stethoscopes is preferable to alternative methods that are under study, such as lung ultrasound, as its use is entirely noninvasive and its cost is a fraction of that of x-ray machines or ultrasound imagers.