Stethoscope
A stethoscope carries sounds from the body to the listener's ears through a solid or hollow acoustic path. Laennec's early instrument developed i...
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Medical Devices & Assistive Technology · 25 entries
A stethoscope carries sounds from the body to the listener's ears through a solid or hollow acoustic path. Laennec's early instrument developed i...
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A sphygmomanometer measures pressure in an inflatable cuff using a mercury column, aneroid gauge or electronic sensor. It became a standard instr...
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An ophthalmoscope combines illumination with viewing optics to examine the interior of the eye. Its development made the retina and other interna...
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A microscope uses lenses or other imaging systems to reveal structures too small for unaided sight. Mechanical focusing, stable stages and improv...
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A dental drill rotates small cutting or polishing tools for work on teeth. Foot-powered drives were followed by electric motors and compressed-ai...
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A dental engine supplies power to a dentist's rotary instruments. Early floor-mounted and foot-operated systems used flexible drives or belts bef...
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An iron lung surrounds much of the body in a sealed chamber and changes the surrounding air pressure to assist breathing. Large tank respirators...
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A mechanical ventilator supports breathing by controlling the movement of gas to or from the lungs. Pressure generation, valves and timing mechan...
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A resuscitator is designed to provide assisted ventilation when normal breathing is inadequate. Historical examples used different combinations o...
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A hemodialysis machine circulates blood through a dialyser where substances pass across a membrane. Pumps, fluid circuits and monitoring systems...
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A heart–lung machine circulates and oxygenates blood outside the body during certain operations. Pumps, oxygenators and temperature-control circu...
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A cardiac pacemaker delivers timed electrical impulses to support the heart's rhythm. Miniaturized electronics, batteries and leads made long-ter...
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A defibrillator delivers a controlled electrical discharge intended to interrupt certain dangerous heart rhythms. Energy storage, switching and m...
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A neonatal incubator provides a controlled environment for a newborn infant. Heating, enclosure design and later humidity and monitoring systems...
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An X-ray machine generates penetrating radiation and records how it passes through an object or body. Tubes, high-voltage supplies and detectors...
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A CT scanner measures X-ray transmission from many directions and reconstructs cross-sectional images with computation. Its rotating imaging syst...
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An ultrasound scanner transmits high-frequency sound and detects returning echoes to form images. Transducers and electronic processing provide a...
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An electrocardiograph records electrical activity associated with the heartbeat. Sensitive measuring mechanisms and later electronic amplifiers t...
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An electroencephalograph records small electrical signals detected at the scalp. Amplifiers and recording systems made patterns of brain activity...
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An artificial limb replaces a missing body part with a fitted structure. Materials, joints and control mechanisms reveal changing approaches to m...
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The Jaipur foot is a prosthetic foot designed with flexibility and everyday activities in mind. Its construction supports movements important in...
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A wheelchair supports seated mobility through wheels, a frame and a seating system. Hand propulsion, folding structures and powered drives reflec...
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A Bath chair is a wheeled seat developed for carrying a person who needs mobility assistance. Attendants could push or pull it, and some designs...
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A hearing aid assists hearing by gathering or amplifying sound. Ear trumpets were followed by electrical, transistor and digital devices with inc...
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A cochlear implant combines external sound processing with implanted electrodes that stimulate the auditory nerve. Its development brought togeth...
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