UK design studio Cellule has worked with medical researchers to produce Echoes, an app that lets users hear the sound and rhythm of their heartbeat.
Echoes was produced to test the possibilities of tracking heart conditions via smartphones.
But the app also aims to go beyond a purely medical function by letting users connect with their body and "contemplate your heart's unique rhythm".
Users hold the phone to their chests to record heart sounds
"It is a tool that not only will help researchers understand the potential of mobile technology to detect good-quality heard sounds but also will let you learn about your heart in a beautiful and playful way," according to Echoes.
The app was developed by Cellule with scientific research teams at Maastricht University and King's College London. The initial spark came from PhD researcher Hongxing Luo, who wanted to know if smartphone microphones could allow cardiac patients to monitor their own hearts from home.

The app's interface has a deliberately non-medical aestheticEchoes will allow these teams to test the idea and potentially put it into clinical use in the future.
For now, users can participate in the research project while enjoying colourful 3D visualisations of their heart sounds. They obtain the audio recordings by holdings the phone to their chests.
In contrast to many medical experiences that can be anxiety-inducing, the Echoes interface aims to have a calming effect, with visuals similar to digital a...