An open-source stethoscope that costs between $2.5 and $5 to produce

2026-04-29 | original

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Why This Matters

This open-source stethoscope project democratizes access to medical diagnostic tools by providing a low-cost, high-quality alternative that can be produced for just a few dollars. Its availability promotes innovation, affordability, and accessibility in healthcare, especially in resource-limited settings, while maintaining clinical validation comparable to premium market options.

Key Takeaways

The stethoscope can be produced for as little as $2.5 to $5, making it highly affordable.
Open-source plans enable widespread manufacturing and customization, fostering innovation.
The device matches the performance of high-end market standards like the Littmann Cardiology III.

Stethoscope

This project aims to create a research-validated stethoscope whose plans are available freely and openly. The goal is for the bell to cost ~USD$1-2 to produce, and the rest of the stethoscope to cost approximately the same. You can see the peer-reviewed publication relating to this stethoscope's validation here:

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0193087

Currently, the stethoscope resulting from this project functions as well as the market gold standard, the Littmann Cardiology III.

Bill of Materials

Printed parts:

1 stethoscope head (head.stl)

2 ear tubes (eartube.stl)

1 Y-piece (y_piece.stl)

1 Spring (spring.stl)

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