3M Littmann Model 3200/Zargis Cardioscan Honored for Stethoscope/Software Design Innovation | Reuter

-Stethoscope/software also finalist for prestigious Edison Award-ST. PAUL, Minn. & STAMFORD, Conn.--(Business Wire)--3M and Zargis Medical Corp., today announced that the 3M Littmann ElectronicStethoscope Model 3200 (Littmann Model 3200) and the Zargis Cardioscan softwarerecently received two industry awards for design and innovation: the "red dot:best of the best" award for product design, given by the Design ZentrumNordrhein Westfalen, an internationally known design institution located inEssen, Germany, and the Medical Design Excellence Award, sponsored by MedicalDevice & Diagnostic Industry (MD&DI) magazine. The novel stethoscope/software system, which was named 2009 Popular Science"Innovation of the Year", is also a finalist in the Electronics and Computerscategory for the prestigious Edison Award, given to companies with products thatdrive innovation, creativity and ingenuity in the global economy. "It`s an honor that the Littmann Model 3200/Zargis Cardioscan system continuesto be recognized by the industry for its innovative technology and design," saidIngrid Blair, global business manager, 3M Infection Prevention Division."Through the use of Bluetooth technology and algorithmic computing, the LittmannModel 3200 and Zargis Cardioscan system is changing the way physicians approachauscultation and the interpretation of physiological sounds." The red dot design award, which dates back to 1955, is divided into the threedisciplines "red dot award: product design", "red dot award: communicationdesign" and "red dot award: design concept." With more than 4,200 entries frommore than 57 nations and 1,600 companies, the award program is one of thebiggest and most prestigious design competitions in the world. The Medical Design Excellence Award (MDEA) exclusively recognizes contributionsand advances in the design of medical products. Entries were evaluated on thebasis of their design and engineering features, including innovative use ofmaterials, user-related functions that improve healthcare delivery and changetraditional medical attitudes or practices, features that provide enhancedbenefits to the patient, and the ability of the http://www.stethoscopeguides.com/omron-sprague-rappaport-stethoscope-black/ - websites - product development team toovercome design and engineering challenges so that the product meets itsclinical objectives. The Littmann Model 3200 and Zargis Cardioscan system was launched in 2009 as thefirst electronic stethoscope featuring Bluetooth technology, which wirelesslytransfers heart, lung and other body sounds from the stethoscope chest piece toZargis Cardioscan or Zargis StethAssist(TM) software. The stethoscope andCardioscan software combination is designed to help clinicians identifysuspected heart murmurs and differentiate between those that should be referredfor echocardiography and those that should not, based on guidelines issuedjointly by the American College of Cardiology and the American HeartAssociation. Based on the software analysis and their own assessment, physicianscan then choose to refer patients for an echocardiogram test, which is adefinitive test, but also more expensive. About 3M Health Care3M Health Care, one of 3M`s six major business segments, provides world-classinnovative products and services to help healthcare professionals improve thepractice, delivery and outcome of patient care in medical, oral care, drugdelivery and health information markets. Learn more at www.3m.com/healthcare.About Zargis Medical Corp.Zargis is a global medical device company focused on improving health outcomesand cost-effectiveness through diagnostic support software and innovation.Zargis is majority-owned by Speedus Corp. (NASDAQ: SPDE), and both 3M Company(NYSE: MMM) and Siemens Corporate Research, a division of Siemens AG (NYSE: SI),hold equity positions.

3MMary Clemens, 651-733-8806mcclemens@mmm.comorWCGMolly Rabinovitz, 312-646-6294mrabinovitz@wcgworld.comorZargis MedicalPeter Hodge, 888-773-3669 (ext. 23)phodge@zargis.comCopyright Business Wire 2010