In the electronic stethoscope the microphone receives the sound and converts the sound to equivalent electrical signal; an electronic amplifier amplifies the signal; a processor modifies the signal to give selective amplification to highlight specific features of the sound; and finally an output speaker converts the processed electrical signal back into sound in amplified and feature enhanced form to the ear of the doctor.

Somewhat in an analogous form the PALPOSCOPE has on the input side a tactile sensor array which itself is a novel design combining vertical deformable force sensing tactels with linked electrical resistance varying stretch elements. This combination is named DFSA sensor. An analysis shows that the special method of analysis of the tactel force and extension of the stretch elements gives a very good indication of small and deep seated nodules. The DFSA sensor is therefore to be pressed on the body and the tactel-stretch element data is processed to determine the presence of a nodule, size of the nodule and location of the nodule.

The other subunit of the PALPOSCOPE is a 3-D actuator which when pressed with the hand gives a feel of nodule presence. This actuator subunit is physically located above the DFSA sensor but there is not mechanical linkage between the two subunits. Instead the processed electrical signals from the DFSA sensor by feedback control modifies the bulk elasticity; size of phantom nodule; and location of the phantom nodule; a doctor pressing the hand onto the 3-D actuator feels the phantom nodule which because of the interpretation of the DFSA data and feedback control of the phantom nodule gives a better perception than the actual nodule palpated without the help of the PALPOSCOPE.