iSTETHOSCOPE PRO

undercover scientist software

Support:

This program has been tested on iPhone 3G running 3.0 & 4.0 software and iPhone 4 running 4.0 software. It does not work on earlier versions of the software. If you are having problems or want to share your views with the author, you can discuss or ask questions at Peter’s Book Blog: http://apps.peterjbentley.com/Blog/

Who is The Undercover Scientist?

Peter J Bentley is a computer scientist based at University College London and popular science writer. Author of 7 books and this iphone application, check out his latest book which provides a fascinating view of the science behind everyday events: "The Undercover Scientist", available on amazon or in all good book stores.

Check out his website here: http://www.peterjbentley.com/

Or his book blog: http://apps.peterjbentley.com/Blog/

General information

iStethoscope Pro has been developed in collaboration with cardiologist researchers. The spectrogram uses FFT on a linear scale and although approximate, does provide an accurate view of the audio data similar to those used by cardiologists to aid the diagnostic process. However, the application should not be used as and does not constitute a medical device so a diagnosis should be made using dedicated equipment. The application is also not designed to enable users to invade the privacy of others through eavesdropping, to crack safes or any other illegal activity, and the author takes no responsibility if the software is used in any of these ways.

Doctors recommend that people with artificial pacemakers or implanted defibrillators should keep their cell phones away from the implanted device. If you have a pacemaker or implanted defibrillator fitted you should not place your iphone on or near your heart. If you are concerned, place the device into airplane mode before running the application. Your emails will be stored in the Mail Outbox and will be sent when you next connect to the Internet.

iStethoscope Pro 1.02 requires at least version 3.0 software. Version 1.04 requires at least version 4.0 of the software. Users of 1G and 2G phones and 2G iPod Touch must use the standard iphone white earphones with in-line microphone. 3G and 4 iphones have better microphones so if you own a 3G or 4 device you should use standard headphones and the built-in microphone. Users of 1G iPod Touch must plug in an external microphone. All devices should work using Accelerometer mode, which does not require a microphone.

Please note that this application may use significant amounts of memory, especially while calculating the spectrogram. If your device is low on memory, this may cause the program to crash. (If running version 4.0 of the software on a 3G iPhone this may result in the "iStethPro" name to remain at the top of the window in a red titlebar - to remove it, restart your phone.) To avoid the problem, turn the spectrogram off, and lower the sampling rate.

When first trying to change a setting, you may find that it does not appear to work. This is a known iphone "feature" - just edit a parameter value on the same page once, and that settings page will work from then on.

Like any sound amplifier, if the volume is too loud and/or the microphone is too close to the earphones, feedback will occur (the microphone will hear the output of the program and amplify that, which is played and amplified again, resulting in echoes or even a loud squealing noise). To avoid this effect, just reduce your main volume using the normal buttons on the side and reduce the application gain control (the slider at the bottom of the screen).

While the program is running, allowing the iphone to go into standby for more than one minute will deactivate the accelerometers (an iphone "feature"). You should prevent it from going into standby by touching the screen occasionally or changing the standby settings. In all cases, restarting the application will make it work fine again.

Thanks to Justin D'Arcy for being the tester for the iPod Touch 1st Gen and enabling version 2.03 of the program to be written.

The Undercover Scientist cartoon is copyright Stephanie Clemen 2008.

The icon stethoscope image is copyright Orlando Florin Rosu 2008.

The main stethoscope image is copyright milosluz 2008.