Preliminary study: mobile phone as a phonocardiographic signal recorder

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the possibility of using a mobile phone with a voice recorder function as a phonocardiographic signal recorder. Test measurements were carried out by placing the phone at various points on the chest. For one selected point, measurements were carried out for a group of 120 people, using different models of mobile phones. Data on weight, height and age were collected through a survey. Participants of the study were also asked about diagnosed heart defects and potential problems related to the measurement. Signal quality was assessed using quality parameters. It was checked how the selected methods of signal pre-processing (editing of recordings, filtering) affect the values of quality parameters. The obtained recordings were subjected to automatic signal classification. The result of this work is an extended analysis of the use of mobile phones as electronic stethoscopes and an analysis of the usefulness of signals obtained using this measurement method. The results of these studies are important for the field of medical diagnostics, especially in situations where access to traditional stethoscopes is limited. If mobile phones prove to be effective recorders of phonocardiographic signals, it will open new possibilities in the field of remote heart monitoring and telemedicine. However, it should be noted that further research, including validation and comparison of results obtained with mobile phones with those obtained with traditional stethoscopes, is needed before this technology is introduced into clinical practice.