Exchange of environmental health information between microcomputers

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Environmental Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Microcomputers like the TRS-80 Model-I and Model-III were prevalent in research settings.
• Data management and program sharing between different computer systems presented challenges.
• Efficient data transfer is crucial for scientific research, including environmental and epidemiological studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and describe programs for transferring disk files between TRS-80 Model-III and Model-I microcomputers.
• To enable researchers to effectively use both computer systems for data entry and processing.
• To facilitate the exchange of programs, data, and documents between users of these two machines.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an RS-232-C serial interface for data communication.
• Developed specific software programs to manage the file transfer process.
• Leveraged file management routines from each computer's operating system.

Main Results:

• Successful transfer of disk files (programs and data) between TRS-80 Model-III and Model-I systems.
• Enabled effective use of both computers for air pollution and epidemiological data.
• Facilitated seamless exchange of programs, data, and word processor documents.

Conclusions:

• The developed programs provide a practical solution for inter-computer data transfer in research environments.
• Enhanced data sharing capabilities improve research efficiency and collaboration.
• The RS-232-C interface and operating system routines are effectively utilized for reliable file exchange.