Semiautomatic processing of neurophysiological data: part I--a device for measuring potential intervals from film

This paper describes the operation and construction of an electromechanical device designed to make measurements on oscillograph recordings of nerve or muscle potentials for subsequent computer analysis. The device consists of a motor-driven shaft which moves the record past a fixed cursor, and an electronic counter which records the movements of the shaft, thereby providing a cumulative tally of the distance of the current position of the cursor from some arbitrary origin on the record. When the device is connected to a paper tape punch, the operator can punch the distance measurement associated with potential along the record onto the tape. The format of data on the tape readily allows further analysis by computer.