A Cardiologist in your pocket
From a 3D-printed concept to a shipped product line used by hundreds of thousands of clinicians.
Brand: Eko Health
Date: 2014–2018
Platforms: Hardware
Role: Founding Head of Design & Product (0→1 lead)
Status: Live – Series DWhen I joined Eko, the idea was clear, but the product was not: a digital stethoscope with clinical-grade signal quality, a modern mobile experience, and a path to AI. What we had on Day One was a 3D-printed shape, a few Photoshop screens, and a lot of conviction—no manufacturable hardware, no scalable UX, and no production plan.
My job was to turn that early intent into something clinicians would trust at the bedside. That meant designing the physical device, the software, and the system that connects them—while also setting constraints that could survive regulatory approvals (FDA and HIPAA), cost targets, and real manufacturing. The bar was simple: it has to sound better than the thing it replaces, feel confident in the hand, and work every time.
DESIGN FRAMEWORK
I envisioned a third language: neither “medical” nor “tech” that signaled confidence and innovation.
In 2015, medical design often relied on legacy cues to signal safety. On the opposite end of the spectrum, “innovative” medtech often borrowed consumer tropes to signal progress. Both were shortcuts, and neither fit Eko. I built a third design language based on Honesty: simple geometry, unembellished materials, natural inspiration, and details that explain function rather than decorate it. In this language, seams, vents, interfaces, and joints aren’t styling—they’re evidence. The product earns trust by being legible in the hand, inherently intuitive, and clinically defensible in a room of doctors.
CLINICAL VALIDATION
We designed at the hospital, not in the studio.
I worked directly with cardiologists and frontline clinicians to understand the real conditions of auscultation—noise, speed, repetition, hygiene, and workflow. I used rapid physical prototypes (3D print → CNC → EVT builds) to test grip, orientation, buttoning, feedback, and durability until the device felt obvious in-hand and credible in context.
HARDWARE ARCHITECTURE
Signal quality and clinical use drove the form.
I partnered with EE/FW to shape the system: acoustics, amplification, power, thermal behavior, physical interfaces, even cleaning and durability standards. Instead of hiding the engineering, we expressed it—construction details, vents, joints, and material choices were treated as evidence of function. The goal was simple: outperform acoustic stethoscopes in clarity and consistency, while staying calm and legible.
COST, SCALE, AND COMPLIANCE
A manufacturable product at a price clinicians would actually pay.
We worked backwards from a clinician-viable price and let that constraint discipline every decision: materials, part count, tolerances, assembly steps, and serviceability. I recruited and led manufacturing across US and China, carried the product through DFM and production documentation, and navigated FDA-related requirements without degrading the experience.
PRODUCT LINE
A system that scaled beyond one hero device.
Across Eko devices, I established a design language that could hold multiple form factors and generations while staying coherent. The goal was longevity: a family of tools that look related, behave consistently, and get better without changing their character.
Outcome:
Across Duo and Core, we sold ~500,000 units (~$175M gross revenue) and helped establish digital auscultation as a credible clinical tool. The design language carried into later products and recognition—including Eko Core Gen 1 (TIME Best Inventions, 2015), Eko Core Gen 2 (Fast Company recognition, 2022), and Eko Core 500 (Red Dot, 2025). We also built defensibility through 12 utility patents and 3 design patents.
“I f*cking love my Eko.” - Reddit user
Reflection:
This is still the work I’m most proud of: taking a fragile early concept and making it real—hardware, software, manufacturing, and all. We proved you can design for signal quality and experience at the same time, without hiding behind “clinical” as an excuse for monotonous or confusing products. Personally, it sharpened the way I like to lead: set a clear experiential bar, make tradeoffs visible early, and ship with enough integrity that the next product has a foundation—not a rewrite.
Open to the next build
If you’re working on physical/digital products where craft and constraints matter, I’d love to connect!