[Critical analysis and future development of the Cerebral Function Monitor]

At London Hospital, a number of technical failings of the apparatus and certain difficulties in the reading of the trace came to light following prolonged and frequent use of the Monitor of Cerebral Function in varied clinical situations. We consider it appropriate to propose certain possible improvements of the existing M.C.F. in view of the advantage of its easy use. These ideas on the further development of the M.C.F. have centered on making better use of the output signal, and also on the addition of an instrument which would yield qualitative information on cerebral activity (frequency spectrum). These improvements, then, including the incorporation of a microprocessor that would render the apparatus more informative, and a better presentation of the data (e.g. alpha numbering on paper and on T.V. monitor), should help create a machine that is at once more sensitive and more practical without interfering with the advantages of ease of operation and of interpretation.