Abstract: A disposable patient-to-transducer interface device for use in securely holding a transducer such as a stethoscope head positioned against the skin surface of a patient. The interface device may be adhered to the patient's skin surface and the stethoscope head securely received in an opening provided in the device. When in use, the interface device substantially surrounds the stethoscope head thereby providing a passive barrier to ambient noise. The interface device also develops a relatively good air seal around the stethoscope head and thus provides an additional barrier to ambient noise. Furthermore, the interface device prevents substantial movement of the transducer head and, thereby, minimizes the amount of surface motion noise generated and detected by the transducer head. In addition, when the interface device is attached to the skin surface of the patient, it establishes a good reference point whereby continual or periodic monitoring of a particular location on the patient may be accomplished.

Abstract: A modular auscultation sensor and telemetry system ("MASTS") for sensing body sounds of a patient in a noisy environment where both desired body sounds and undesirable noise may be detected. The MASTS includes a transducer head that comprises two sensors that are substantially acoustically and mechanically isolated from each other. The first sensor is positioned to sense body sounds of a patient when the transducer head is placed against a patient's skin, and the second sensor is positioned to sense primarily noise, if any. The sound signals are transmitted to a digital signal processor carried in a waist-pack or similar container. The digital signal processor processes the sound signals using an adaptive filter scheme to produce an output signal that is indicative of primarily of the body sounds emanating from the patient.