3M™ Littmann® CORE Digital Stethoscope FAQs

Stethoscope & Digital Attachment

• What is the difference between the 3M™ Littmann® CORE Digital Stethoscope and the CORE Digital Attachment?The 3M™ Littmann® CORE Digital Stethoscope is the most advanced Littmann Stethoscope yet. It comes pre-assembled with a 3M™ Littmann® Cardiology IV™ Stethoscope and a CORE Digital Attachment.Alternatively, the CORE Digital Attachment is sold separately. It is not a stethoscope by itself but can be manually added to a Littmann Cardiology IV Stethoscope.
• Why purchase the 3M™ Littmann® CORE Digital Stethoscope?
• The 3M™ Littmann® CORE Digital Stethoscope comes pre-assembled for your convenience and is tested to ensure proper setup. It offers the superior acoustics, comfort, and quality of the 3M™ Littmann® Cardiology IV™ Stethoscope, plus the added benefit of up to 40x amplification (at peak frequency, vs. analog mode), active noise cancellation, and sound wave visualization using a companion app on a mobile device. In addition, in certain geographies including the United States, the Eko App enables the use of Eko’s subscription-based, FDA-cleared software features to detect the presence of suspected murmurs.When you purchase the 3M™ Littmann® CORE Digital Stethoscope, we ensure proper assembly, and you receive a single point of service and support from 3M™ Littmann® Stethoscopes.
• What is the difference between the 3M™ Littmann® CORE Digital Stethoscope and 3M™ Littmann® Electronic Stethoscope Model 3200?
• The Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope toggles between analog and amplified listening modes, offers Bluetooth® connectivity to a mobile device, and has a dual-sided chestpiece with two tunable diaphragms. The Littmann Electronic Stethoscope Model 3200 has been discontinued. It operates in amplified mode only, is not compatible with mobile devices, and has only a single-sided electronic diaphragm.

Getting Started

How can I get started with my 3M™ Littmann® CORE Digital Stethoscope?

Refer to the Quick Start Guide in the box.

How do I turn the 3M™ Littmann® CORE Digital Stethoscope on and off?

When the 3M Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope is off, it functions as a mechanical (analog, not amplified) stethoscope. To turn the 3M Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope amplified mode on, press the power toggle in. The LED light will begin flashing. You will now hear amplified and filtered sound in the eartips.

The CORE digital unit LED light provides information about the status of the device:
 

a. Flashing white: Unit is ON and ready to pair with the Eko mobile app. (You do not need to pair Bluetooth® with the app for the amplification to work. You need to pair with the app to view sound wave visualization and use features such as sound recording, sharing, and AI-enabled screening.)

b. Solid white: Unit is ON and paired to the Eko App.

c. Yellow: Unit is plugged in and charging.

d. Flashing Yellow: LOW battery.

e. Green: Unit is plugged in and fully charged.

(Note: The CORE digital unit will not function while it is charging.)

• I turned my stethoscope on and now it appears to be off. What happened?
• The 3M Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope will go into standby mode after 5 minutes of inactivity. To turn the device back on, toggle the power off and back on.
  
• How do I connect the 3M Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope to my mobile device?Download the Eko App from the Apple App Store® or Google Play™ Store, start the app, and create an Eko account. Turn on Bluetooth® on your phone or tablet, launch the Eko App, and turn on the 3M Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope. Then pair the stethoscope with your device as instructed in the app.
• Is the Eko App available in different languages?
• Yes, English is available on all platforms. Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, and Italian are available now on Android™ and will be available on iOS in the future. More languages will be added to both platforms in the future.
• 
  Is my data secure in the Eko App?
• There is no data stored in the app. The app acts as an interface between the web platform and your data. Eko’s app is a cloud-based software with all data stored in the cloud within the United States. Data security is one of our highest priorities. Eko maintains HIPAA-compliant policies, procedures, and technical safeguards for patient and customer data. Eko uses HIPAA-compliant and NIST recommended 256-bit AES encryption using managed keys for patient data. Encrypted backups are taken daily. Eko’s app also meets the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU.
• 
  What phones does the new Eko App work on?The new app is compatible on iOS version 13 or newer and will not work on iPhones using iOS 12 or older. For those using iOS 12 or older, the app will not update to the new app but you can continue to use the previous version of the Eko app. To see a complete list of compatible Android devices, visit this page. **
• I can’t hear well through my stethoscope. Help please.
• Ensure you are listening with the diaphragm on the active side of the chestpiece. Only one side of the chestpiece is acoustically active at a time, identified by a mark on the stem. Rotate the chestpiece to change which side is active.
• Before placing the eartips in your ears, make sure they point forward, away from you. This ensures that the eartubes will align with your ear canals for comfort and maximum sound transmission.
• 
• It is also important to ensure that the fit of the eartips is creating a proper seal in the ear canals. If you are not achieving a proper seal, please perform the headset adjustment to suit your personal preference for comfort. If necessary, replace the ear tips with the smaller size that were provided in the box.
• See “Using Your Stethoscope” at Littmann.com for more details.
• 
  Can I connect Bluetooth® headphones with the Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope?
• You may be able to listen to sounds via Bluetooth® headphones by pairing your Littmann CORE Stethoscope to the Eko App on your mobile device and using the ‘Play from Headphones’ feature in the Eko app on your mobile device and then listening live via Bluetooth® through the app. The Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope does not pair directly with Bluetooth® wireless headphones.If using the Eko App and external speakers or headphones to listen live, we recommend using plug-in speakers or headphones for best sound quality. Wireless headphones may yield varied sound quality, see more information here.
• How do I ensure optimal sound quality when listening in playback mode?
• High-quality headphones are strongly recommended to hear heart and lung sounds in high fidelity when playing back sound recordings from a phone or tablet. Phone speakers will not provide optimal sound quality. Changing the 3M Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope volume while recording does not change the volume of the recorded audio on the app, therefore the playback volume must be adjusted in the app or on the smart device itself.
• How do I use sound filters within the app?
• App version released in March 2022 in the United States: When the stethoscope is connected to the app, the filters can be selected by going to Menu -> App Settings -> CORE Audio Filter in the Eko mobile app, without any need to touch the stethoscope. The default filter is Wide but Cardiac and Pulmonary filters can also be selected to allow the lower and higher frequencies to be emphasized in the sound profile, respectively. Your filter choice will be saved when you turn the app off.
• Other versions: When the stethoscope is connected to the app, the filters can be selected from the Settings menu in the Eko mobile app, without any need to touch the stethoscope. The default filter is Wide but Cardiac and Pulmonary filters can also be selected to allow the lower and higher frequencies to be emphasized in the sound profile, respectively.
• How do I ensure optimal sound quality while listening?If possible, perform auscultation in a quiet environment. While the Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope has active noise cancellation, some environmental noise will still be audible during auscultation.3M tunable diaphragm technology lets you hear different frequency sounds by simply adjusting the pressure on the chestpiece. Hold the chestpiece with light pressure on the patient’s chest to hear low frequency sounds; press a little more firmly to hear higher frequency sounds.If using the Eko App and external speakers or headphones to listen live, we recommend using plug-in speakers or headphones for best sound quality. Wireless headphones may yield varied sound quality, see more information here.
• Can I pair the 3M Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope with my hearing aids?The 3M Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope cannot pair directly with hearing aids. However, if your hearing aids are Bluetooth® compatible and can connect to your phone, you can utilize the ‘Play from Headphones’ feature in the app to stream sound wirelessly into the hearing aids from the phone. It is vital that you validate with your audiologist that your hearing aids can produce the necessary frequencies to perform a diagnostic auscultation. Find more information here.
• How do I turn on Active Noise Cancellation?
• App version released in March 2022 in the United States: The 3M Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope includes active noise cancellation that can be turned off or on through the Menu -> CORE Settings in the Eko App. The default setting in the app is OFF. Also, turning the stethoscope off will turn off active noise cancellation.Other versions: The 3M Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope includes active noise cancellation that can be turned off or on through the Settings menu in the Eko App. The default setting in the app is OFF. Also, turning the stethoscope off will turn off active noise cancellation.
• How can I share auscultation sounds?
• App version released in March 2022 in the United States: In the Eko App, tap “Patients.” Then select the patient and then the recording. Finally, tap “Share” and follow the prompts. The recipient does not need to have an Eko account to receive and open these files.Other versions: In the Eko App, go to “Patients” > “Select patient” > “Edit”, and tap “Share patient”. You may then enter the recipient’s email address and the sound recordings will be sent to them. Note that the recipient must also have an Eko account to see shared patient recordings.
• How do I charge my device?
• Charge your 3M Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope or CORE Digital Attachment when the yellow light starts blinking. Insert the supplied micro-USB cable into the USB port of the device and plug the other (USB-A) end into a UL-certified USB wall charger (max 5 volts). The device LED will turn solid yellow, signifying that it is charging. The LED will change to solid green when the device is fully charged.
• How long does it take the battery to charge, and how do I maximize battery life?
• To fully charge the battery, it should take about 2.5 hours when starting from a fully depleted battery. When fully charged, the stethoscope should provide 8 hours of continuous digital use. We recommend turning the digital unit OFF between each use to maximize battery life.NOTE: The digital unit will not turn on while it is plugged in and charging. There are no user-serviceable parts in the digital unit, and it is not designed to be opened by the user.
• How can I conserve battery life?
• The digital unit has a 5-minute standby mode to conserve battery life. The white LED on the unit will disappear when the digital unit goes into standby mode and the toggle will remain flat with the surface of the volume buttons (i.e., in the “ON” position).To power the digital unit back ON, push the toggle to the OFF and then the ON position. The white light will appear to indicate the device is ON.
• How do I adjust the volume?
• The sound level can be amplified in 7 increments to provide up to 40x amplification (at peak frequency, versus analog mode) when listening with the stethoscope earpieces. Increase the volume level by clicking the plus (+) volume button on the side of the unit and decrease the volume level by clicking the minus (-) volume button on the side of digital unit.If you are using headphones to listen to the sounds through your smart phone or tablet, you will need to adjust your device’s volume in the usual manner; the stethoscope’s volume buttons will have no effect on listening volume in this case.Note: Changing the volume on the digital unit does not affect the volume of a recording in the Eko App running on your mobile device. Playback volume must therefore be adjusted in the App or on the smart device itself.
• Can the 3M Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope be engraved?
• Yes, the stethoscope can be laser engraved. We do not recommend scratch engraving as this can increase frictional noise during auscultation. Do not disassemble the stethoscope in any way (e.g., pulling the tubing apart, unscrewing the tubing stems). 

Who can I call for seervice and support?

To connect with service and support in the USA for the Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope, please visit littmann.com/service or call 1-800-228-3957. Press option 1 for Littmann, then option 2, then option 1 for 3M Littmann CORE Support.

If you are outside of the USA for the Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope, please visit littmann.com for the contact information of your local 3M office.

In Europe, the Middle East, or Africa for the Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope, contact your local 3M office or email [email protected]

In Canada for the Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope, please email [email protected] or call 1-800-268-6235.

Globally for the CORE Digital Attachment, please visit support.ekohealth.com.

EKO AI

What is Eko AI?

Eko AI is a suite of artificial intelligence machine learning algorithms that assist clinicians in detecting suspected heart murmurs (Heart murmur detection available in the U.S.only, but will be available in other countries in the future).

• How do I access AI Features?
• App version released in March 2022 in the United States: When the Eko App is connected and used with a compatible digital stethoscope, the Eko Analysis Software (EAS) automatically checks for murmurs during Cardiac Exam or Spot Check recordings. Once the recording is completed, the Eko App will summarize any findings, including potential murmurs, or other abnormalities detected. Keep in mind that the algorithms used to detect murmurs are not accessed by an Eko device alone. Users must be connected to the EAS using the newest version of the Eko App. Reminder: the outputs of the Eko analysis are not a diagnosis but are intended to aid the clinician in reaching a diagnosis accurately, quickly, and confidently.Other versions:: This app is available internationally, though every country has their own set of guidelines on what is and is not available to be downloaded. If you are able to download the new app, please be advised that AI heart murmur detection will not be included, as these algorithms are only currently included for free in the App version released in March 2022 in the United States. You will still have access to the recording features, which gives you the ability to listen live, play back, and share recordings.
• How do I access telemedicine?
• Eko offers telemedicine through a paid software subscription (where available, sold separately). Learn more at https://www.ekohealth.com/product/eko-telehealth.