A versatile computing system for sampling, manipulation and display of biological signals using high-level language

A medium sized minicomputer system is presented as an attractive way of balancing the cost of computing equipment with that of programme development. A versatile circuit has been coupled to a computer system and programmes have been developed to control the functions of this circuit. With such a system it is possible for relatively untrained biological workers to use FORTRAN programming language to control sampling of analogue signals, manipulation of data and finally graphical presentation of results. The system is proposed for use both in anaesthetic research and in on-line monitoring of critically ill patients.