Physician Develops Bacteria-Busting Wi-Fi Device

"What I designed was relatively simple ... and user-friendly," he says. He looked first at using a sticky kitchen-type wrap to cover the stethoscope, but later moved to the idea of a rectangular bag with a V-type seal in which any size of stethoscope could be placed. The cost is just a penny or two each, Ma says.
So far, getting companies interested in marketing his product has been a struggle, especially since they want to see some type of track record for sales. However, the need for products that stem the tide of infections has nowhere to go but up in light of recent decisions by the states and Medicare emphasizing infection control, he says.

But so far, it has taken "time, money, and a lot of patience," he says of his three-year journey to develop his stethoscope guard.