W. S. TOPHAM 
1219 
Second 
Fleer 
First 
Fleer 
Animal Moniter Console 
Figure 1. — A schematic floor plan showing the locations of animal sites in the Artificial Heart Test Facility. Animal 
monitor consoles for acquiring and conditioning analog data can be located at any animal site as described in the 
text. 
alarm or the computer alarm, it is possible to 
immediately switch the monitored variables 
from that animal to any one of the recording 
devices (analog tape recorder, ink oscillo- 
graphic recorder) for recording and/or obser- 
vation. 
From the monitor mezzanine, it is possible to 
determine the physiological state of any animal. 
Any data v^^hich has been collected by the com- 
puter can be retrieved and displayed on the ter- 
minal; current computer measurements can be 
made and immediately displayed; the analog 
signals coming to the computer and monitor 
mezzanine can be observed on an oscilloscope 
and if desired, can be recorded on the ink recor- 
der ; and any prerecorded analog signals can be 
viev^^ed. 
When animals are in the intensive care unit, 
the main monitor console will be manned twen- 
ty-four hours a day. Using this technique, one 
individual can monitor many animals simulta- 
neously, and only when alarms or difficulties 
occur is it necessary to involve other personnel. 
It is the purpose of this data acquisition 
scheme to eliminate continually running analog 
tapes or oscillographic recording devices, and to 
eliminate piling up formidable mountains of 
records for eventual analysis, which often never 
gets done. The main monitoring is done by the 
computer at intervals of fifteen minutes, and it 
is anticipated that the alarms can be set accur- 
ately enough that sufficient data can be obtained 
to determine the cause of the alarming situa- 
tion. If there is a need for more frequent meas- 
urement, it can be initiated manually. Only in 
exceptional cases when it is necessary to ob- 
serve the analog waveforms will the analog re- 
corders be turned on. 
