# Automated point-of-care identification of innocent Still's murmur in children

> **NIH NIH R42** · AUSCULTECH DX, LLC · 2020 · $708,937

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The overall goal of the proposed research and technology transfer effort is to develop a low-cost,
point-of-care, mobile device-based technology for automated identification of Still's murmur,
the most common innocent (benign and harmless) heart murmur of childhood. This novel
technology could reduce the current rate of over half a million children unnecessarily referred to
pediatric cardiologists by primary care providers each year in the United States. In Phase I,
AusculTech Dx and Children's National Medical Center developed a machine-learning algorithm
capable of identifying Still's murmur with high accuracy (90% sensitivity, 99% specificity). To
enable digital recording, essential for computerized murmur analysis, we also developed a
digital stethoscope that connects to a smartphone and is equivalent in performance to a
commercial stethoscope. Our envisioned product, called StethAid, is a combination of this novel
digital stethoscope and a smartphone application (app). Having successfully met the Phase I
performance milestones, we now propose to fully develop StethAid and conduct a multicenter
trial through the following three specific aims: (1) develop and test a clinical-grade digital
stethoscope, (2) develop fully feature software app, (3) conduct a multicenter trial of automated
Still's murmur identification. For the multicenter trial, we have expanded our collaboration to
include Boston Children's Hospital and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Our
deliverable for Phase II is a technology platform validated by leading pediatric cardiologists that
is ready for seeking regulatory approvals, deployment at PCP offices, and commercialization. As
a decision support system, StethAid could empower PCPs to identify Still's murmur accurately
and thus reduce the huge number of unnecessary specialist referrals. This should save the
healthcare system hundreds of millions of dollars annually, allow pediatric cardiologists to focus
on patients with serious conditions, and protect healthy children and their families from the
unnecessary anxiety, inconvenience, and expense of seeing a pediatric cardiologist.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9903425
- **Project number:** 5R42HL131081-03
- **Recipient organization:** AUSCULTECH DX, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Robin Doroshow
- **Activity code:** R42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $708,937
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-06 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9903425

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9903425, Automated point-of-care identification of innocent Still's murmur in children (5R42HL131081-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9903425. Licensed CC0.

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