LSU athletics scores as first college sports program to use AI-enabled digital stethoscopes

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – When the purple and gold hit the field this football season, they will have a new teammate to help when they turn black and blue.

The sports medicine team will begin using Eko Core stethoscopes on the hearts of student-athletes.

“Especially in our athletes. We don’t want any detrimental effects and if we can pick it up early, absolutely let’s do that,” said Dr. Kelechi Akamiro with Our Lady of the Lake Health.

The Eko is not your father’s stethoscope. It uses artificial intelligence.

“This is not replacing physicians,” said Joseph Authement, U.S. Vice President of Sales for Eko Health.

Authement is a former LSU swimmer who said the FDA-approved, AI-enable digital stethoscope is like the shazam of medical technology. It transmits sounds from the patient’s heart to a smartphone. LSU athletics is the first college sports program to use the tool. In just 15 minutes, the sports medicine team will be able to detect atrial fibrillation or heart murmurs in any student-athlete during physical exams.

“It’s listening for sounds and it’s matching those sounds against either regular or irregular heartbeats,” added Authement, “The ones that would not otherwise be detected. That’s where this tool will really shine.”

The company said the tool is being used by healthcare providers in New Orleans. They hope to expand to the Baton Rouge area.

AI is becoming an aide in health care. It’s being used to help in cancer therapy and colonoscopies.

“They’re obviously seeking out new technology, new innovations to keep us healthier. I can only be appreciative about that,” said LSU baseball player Trenton Lape.

AI is now helping players continue to play.

LSU Athletics is getting 500 AI-enabled digital stethoscopes. Its maker is currently in the process of creating algorithms for lung sounds to detect hypertension and COPD.

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