Onescope
Democratising Lung Auscultation

Lung auscultation, or the diagnostic technique of examining respiratory sounds through a stethoscope, has always necessitated specialised medical training. Turning this approach upside-down is Onescope with its groundbreaking device, Pneumoscope.

Pneumoscope is a 3-in-1 pocket-sized medical device combining a digital stethoscope, a pulse oximeter, and a thermometer. But the most unique facet of the device is its patented AI model, DeepBreath, which analyses and associates lung sound patterns to a specific respiratory disease, eliminating reliance on a trained healthcare professional.

Onescope has thus created a kind of Shazam^® for the lungs! In the same way the well-known mobile app links music to an artist, the Pneumoscope associates lung sounds to respiratory diseases.

The Pneumoscope is easy to use without any medical expertise and after 3 simple steps classifies the lung auscultation and the severity of the disease. The process begins by positioning the digital stethoscope on patient’s chest to record lung sounds and respiratory rate. The pulse oximeter then gathers information on oxygen blood saturation and heart rate, while the thermometer captures the body temperature. The data is transmitted to an associated mobile app, where DeepBreath compares it against a vast database of over 250,000 respiratory cycles gathered by Onescope over four years and in 10 countries, to deliver real-time analysis.

However, the Pneumoscope is not intended to replace medical professionals. It aims to enhance their capabilities, providing faster and more accurate diagnoses.

By empowering every individual to accurately diagnose the severity of conditions such as asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, and COVID-19, Pneumoscope serves a larger goal of decentralising the diagnosis and risk stratification of respiratory diseases.

This mission positions Onescope as a favourable partner promoting health equity in a continent with diverse economic landscapes.

“We initiated this mission to make lung health a universal right, not a privilege. From remote communities where hospitals are far-flung to bustling inpatient areas seeking efficiency, we plan on reshaping medical practices and saving lives,” says Prof. Alain Gervaix, co-founder and CEO of Onescope - Medical Doctor himself.

The Pneumoscope has a global application and can be used in different case scenario. In regions with limited resources, it aims to democratize high-quality medicine by offering frontline health workers an affordable, easy-to-use, and portable diagnostic solution, often lacking specialized training.

In high-resource settings, Pneumoscope is focusing more on empowering patients with chronic respiratory diseases, by improving self-monitoring to alert in case of exacerbation and rapidly initiate treatment.

Onescope diligently ensures adherence to patient data safety and privacy standards in compliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Medical Device Regulation (MDR) throughout the process. This commitment is manifested through its AI model, where the algorithms operate directly on the phone using its computing power instead of relying on cloud platforms and internet connectivity. By employing federated learning, a machine learning technique that trains an algorithm via multiple independent sessions, each using its own dataset, this approach also mitigates data privacy concerns, and also adds more accuracy to the diagnostic process.

The app also boosts with features like treatment reminders to ensure a more engaging patient experience. Through integration with an automated health record system, it facilitates patients in understanding their conditions more thoroughly and enables them to seek support at various stages of care, including before, during, and after consultations.

“In tandem, Pneumoscope’s ability to store recordings of previous auscultations within the app broadens its utility in telemedicine, supporting continuity in care. It allows patients and healthcare providers to be more consistent in remote consultations and treatment planning,” says Yannick Ormen COO of Onescope.

Complementing this multifaceted functionality is the device’s innovative design. Pneumoscope only consists of 16 parts that can be easily 3D printed, underscoring its easy reparability. The use of recyclable materials further aligns with the company’s sustainability principles, as the parts don’t contribute to waste, supporting a circular economy.

By weaving together convenience, accuracy, sustainability, and patient engagement, Pneumoscope is indeed a harbinger of a new age in healthcare that is redefining the boundaries of respiratory care.