ECHO Stethoscope Journey

Hello fellow peers,

My name is Mark V. Gross and I am the inventor of the ECHO Stethoscope, the world's first retractable stethoscope.  First, I would like to introduce myself. I am a U.S. Navy veteran, where I worked as an engineer on the USS San Antonio.  After an honorable discharge, I left to work in the banking industry, only to later find myself in college working on two degrees.  My first degree was a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Health Science and the second was a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.  I started my nursing career in trauma, and I currently work in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (aka babies).

The idea for this product started because I found the stethoscope earpieces hurt the heck out of my ear.  During high school, I was a wrestler, and as a result, I have a deformed ear. This makes the earpieces difficult to fit in my ear and, because of this, I experience pain.  Originally, I wanted to make an electronic stethoscope that used earbuds like those you may have for your phone or music. However, I found that the electronic stethoscope already existed, plus I did not want to have to recharge the battery this necessary medical tool all of the time.  When I began my career as a trauma nurse, I also discovered that the tubing was often times too short in the original stethoscope design. So I really started to think about how I could make a stethoscope that would fit in my ear better and give more length to improve the ergonomics of the tool.  In addition, I had learned from a safety class about how the stethoscope around the neck can be used as a weapon to choke a person. So then I got thinking, why not make everything I want in a stethoscope to fit all of these needs. So I did.

After many attempts to make these improvements, I came up with the ECHO Retractable Stethoscope.  The design and planning took me a few years, with very limited funds. After finally getting most of the designs and the key concept of the product completed, I was able to file for a patent.  Huge breakthrough!!! Finally, it is time to ask the medical community about what they would like to see in the development of this product to help make this project a SUCCESS.

Originally, I wanted to make one unit for myself.  Very selfish, I know. A friend asked why would I not share this with others in the medical community.  And that is how this journey began. I found that working with others will not only bring great minds together, but it will also help to improve a tool that is used to help save lives.

I want to personally introduce you to the ECHO Retractable Stethoscope.

Please connect to our other social media links to help spread the word and to help develop a new product that we all can use and enjoy.