W. S. TOPHAM 
1227 
Associated with the automatic monitor is a 
"Measure Once" option which allows any ani- 
mal logged on the automatic monitor to be sam- 
pled on a demand basis. The data sampling and 
analysis is carried out as though it were one of 
the regular fifteen-minute samples. It is checked 
for alarm conditions and stored but does not in- 
terfere with the regular automated sample in- 
terval. 
To review any of the data which has been col- 
lected by the automatic monitor, the On-Line 
Data Review program is used. 
SUMMARY 
A real-time, time-sharing computer system 
has been described which is currently being set 
up and used in the Utah Biomedical Test Labora- 
tory in Salt Lake City. The system presently is 
used almost exclusively for the analysis of ani- 
mal data obtained in that Facility, although it 
does have the capability to expand to include the 
analysis of engineering data or in vitro test 
data by merely adding the proper program to 
the user program library. 
The on-line feature of this computer system 
allows direct entry of data into the computer 
without manual intervention and at the same 
time stores the data in a well-organized file 
structure so that it can be retrieved immedi- 
ately for review or for further analysis later. 
This eliminates the need for the customary re- 
view of rolls of analog data which are stored ei- 
ther on analog tape recorders or on oscillo- 
graphic recorders. 
The computer performs calculations which 
otherwise would not be done or would require 
hours of calculation time. It provides instant 
feedback of information which is being ob- 
tained. This feedback helps determine the direc- 
tion of the experimental procedure while the ex- 
periment is in progress and provides more 
efficiency in obtaining more significant data. 
It has an automatic monitor feature which al- 
lows several animals to be monitored on a peri- 
odic basis twenty-four hours a day. Since the 
monitor is essentially under the control of one 
operator, the necessary personnel requirements 
are reduced for maintaining a high level of 
monitoring of animals. 
In conjunction with the data system, the com- 
puter aids in detecting meaningful alarm condi- 
tions and allows analog recording to be done 
only at the times when it is most significant. 
The use of a real-time, time-sharing com- 
puter in the animal laboratory can reduce data 
handling errors, increase monitoring capability 
and efficiency, and provide greater insight into 
animal tests and experiments as they are per- 
formed. 
REFERENCES 
1. ToPHAM, W. S., and Warner, H. R. The Control of 
Cardiac Output During Exercise. Chapter 4, Physi- 
cal Basis of Circulatory Transport, W. B. Saunders 
Company, 1967. 
2. Warner, H. R. Control of Circulation as Studied 
with Analog Computer Techniques. Section Z: Cir- 
culation, Volume III, Handbook of Physiology, 
1965. 
3. Warner, H. R., and Pryor, T. A. Time Sharing in 
Biomedical Research. Datamation, April, 1966. 
4. Pryor, T. A., Gardner, R. M., and Day, W. C. 
Computer System for Research and Clinical Appli- 
cation to Medicine. AFIPS Conference Proceedings, 
Vol. 33, 1968. 
5. Stauffer, W. M. Computers in Physiological Anal- 
ysis and Simulation. Clinical Pharmacology and 
Therapeutics, Vol. 8, Jan-Feb 1967. 
6. Warner, H. R., et al. Quantitation of Beat-to-Beat 
Changes in Stroke Volume from Aortic Pulse Con- 
tours in Man. J. of Applied Phys. Vol. 5, March 
1953. 
DISCUSSION 
J. N. Martin, "Medical Electronics News," 
Philadelphia : You mentioned that the terminal 
was exceptionally good despite its price but you 
didn't tell us who makes it and how many you 
use. 
Dr. Topham: The terminal is made by Bee- 
hive Medical Electronics which is a firm in Salt 
Lake City and at the present time we have four 
terminals in the facility. We have the capability 
to expand that up to sixteen terminals depend- 
ing on what our requirements become in the fu- 
ture. 
D. B. Jackson, Abbott Laboratories, North 
Chicago: What sorts of alarm conditions did 
you encounter? What types of alarms? 
Dr. Topham : We have two sets of alarms. 
