The Cardionics SAM II Student Ausculation Manikin is used for teaching ausculation of heart, lung and bowel sounds and for teaching palpitation of the carotid pulse. It has a life sized manikin torso with 15 speakers at anatomical locations for (4) heart, (8) breath, (2) bowel and bruit sounds and has a solenoid mounted in the neck for producing the carotid pulse. The sounds are generated by a computer based software application that allows the teacher to select the sounds and to display them while they play. The system is used for skills training for physicians, nurses, physician’s assistants, EMTs, and other medical personnel. The software allows the instructor to prepare lectures and provides a lesson guide for every sound with question and answers.
Cooper Consulting Service worked with Cardionics marketing and technical team as project leader in the design and development of the SAM II from concept to production. CCS performed the following design and development functions for this project:
- Developed the system hardware and software requirements
- Selected the 7.1 digital audio module for generating (8) sound signals simultaneously
- Designed the volume control circuitry using digital pots for each of (8) audio signals
- Designed the analog switches for routing the audio signals to the selected speakers.
- Designed the audio amplifiers for driving 15 speakers
- Designed the driver circuitry for the pulse solenoid
- Designed the software for sound selection from menus for heart, lung, bowel and bruit sounds
- Designed the software for selection of sounds for waveform display from anatomical locations on a torso image
- Designed the software to decode the encrypted sounds and stream them to the 7.1 audio module over a USB port
- Designed the pc board layout and internal packaging for the manikin
- Developed the production test procedures