A 3D PRINTED STETHOSCOPE THAT COSTS 3 DOLLARS MATCHED A 200 DOLLAR LITTMANN IN A PEER-REVIEWED TEST
A stethoscope you print in an hour and build for under five dollars performed on par with a two-hundred-dollar Littmann in a published comparison.
by Glia
HealthOpen-hardware
- difficulty
- ●●○○○
- time
- an evening
- license
- TAPR Open Hardware License
- repo
- repo ACTIVE1,010 stars
●●○○○ · an evening · TAPR Open Hardware License · 1,010 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo
Partner
COMPAREE VERDICT
The Glia stethoscope is a fully documented build from a project that started in Gaza in response to medical supply blockades. The design has been maintained since 2013, and the repository holds everything: printable files, a precise parts list, and assembly instructions. The build itself is straightforward — print the bell, chest-piece, and ear-tubes at 100% infill, source a few inexpensive parts, and assemble. The one hard requirement is the infill setting: anything less than 100% and the acoustics fail. The maintainers also warn against PLA because it deforms in heat and the spring mechanism fails early; PETG or ABS is the move. The performance claim is grounded: a peer-reviewed PLOS ONE paper compared this stethoscope to the Littmann Cardiology III and found them on par. That paper is linked directly in the README, and the Littmann runs around two hundred dollars retail. The thing most likely to go wrong is printing at standard infill and wondering why it sounds hollow — the acoustic chamber has to be solid or the diaphragm coupling does not work. This is for someone who wants a working stethoscope for home, teaching, or field use and has a printer; it is not for someone expecting a certified clinical instrument.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —STL files for all printed parts are in the repository.
- —The bill of materials names specific silicone tubing sizes, a 40mm diaphragm cut from a report cover, and standard large earbuds.
- —Assembly instructions are in the README; the build takes about an hour plus print time.
- —The peer-reviewed comparison to the Littmann Cardiology III is a PLOS ONE paper linked in the README.
- —Licence is TAPR Open Hardware License, which is permissive but includes a notice requirement.
- —This is not an FDA-approved or certified medical device — the repository makes no regulatory claims.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Partner · KickstarterHeyGears G1: 10M+ colors and transparent parts in one print, plus UV printing on flat objects. Figures, parts and labels — no painting.
Videos
Third-party build video found in payload sources; not an official project video
Gallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the assembly instructions in the README (Covers the full parts list and build sequence)
- 2.Print all parts at 100% infill(PETG or ABS recommended; PLA deforms in heat and the spring fails early)
- 3.Source the tubing, diaphragm material, and earbuds(Exact sizes are in the BOM; report cover plastic works for the diaphragm)
- 4.Assemble following the instructions(Takes about an hour, no special tools required)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
Partner · KickstarterCORE POWER BANK S: 0.2" thin, 2.8 oz, 5000 mAh with 22.5W fast charging. Semi-solid battery, carbon fiber, IPX7 waterproof.
KNOWN ISSUES
- Printing at less than 100% infill ruins the acoustics — the chamber has to be solid or the diaphragm coupling fails.
- PLA deforms in heat and the spring mechanism fails early; use PETG or ABS instead.
- The diaphragm has to be 40mm and cut from a thin, flexible plastic — too thick and it will not vibrate.
- Earbuds have to be large standard size; small or non-standard fittings will not seal.
- This is not a certified medical device — no FDA approval, no CE mark, no regulatory claims in the repository.
- The peer-reviewed comparison says on par with the Littmann, never better — do not upgrade that claim.
How does this compare to a clinical stethoscope?
A peer-reviewed PLOS ONE paper (linked in the README) compared this design to the Littmann Cardiology III and found them on par. The Littmann runs around two hundred dollars retail; this build runs two-fifty to five dollars in parts.
Can I use PLA?
The maintainers do not recommend it — PLA deforms in heat and the spring mechanism fails early. PETG or ABS is the move.
What happens if I print at less than 100% infill?
The stethoscope will not produce a correct sound. The acoustic chamber has to be solid or the diaphragm coupling does not work.
Is this a certified medical device?
No. The repository makes no regulatory claims, and there is no FDA approval or CE mark. This is an open-hardware diagnostic tool, not a certified clinical instrument.
Where do I get the diaphragm?
Cut a 40mm circle from a thin, flexible plastic — a report cover works. The exact material is called out in the BOM.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
The infill setting is the hard line — 100% or the acoustics fail. Have you printed anything else where a slicer default ruined the function?
Glia
The project started in Gaza, where medical supply blockades left clinicians without basic diagnostic tools. The design has been maintained since 2013 and the files are published under the TAPR Open Hardware License.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM28d agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the peer-reviewed comparison is real (PLOS ONE, linked in the README), but the paper was authored by contributors to the project, not independent researchers, so it is the project's own validation. The $200 figure for the Littmann Cardiology III comes from the story title, not the repository; treat it as approximate. The repository itself has no photos of a finished build — the cover image in the reel payload is from a third-party source. Star count (1,007) and fork count (110) are from the payload and will move. The one thing that surprised us: the README explicitly warns against PLA and names PETG or ABS, which is rare honesty in a maker project.