Recent Developments in Bio-Medical Instrumentation

Abstract

This paper considers new techniques of sensing and analyzing physiological changes in human subjects. Bio-electronic recording techniques tha t have been developed to record the stress of pilots of high performance vehicles are described. These techniques have been used to supplement standard performance measurements in the evaluation of aircraft instrument displays. Mini sensors combining the sensing device (electrodes or energy transducers), signal amplification stages and an FM transmitter have been developed in packages smaller than 0.15 cu in. These units are used to transmit physiological changes over distances of 50 ft or more. It is suggested tha t body surface potentials from electrocardiac responses and/or electromyographic responses may be used as the primary power sources for miniaturized transmitters and receivers of bio-electronic information. The possibilities of improving the data analytic methods for processing physiologic measurements is illustrated by applying the techniques of frequency-amplitude-time pattern analysis used in the detection and classification of sonar returns to the description and analysis of sound patterns obtained from phonocardiac records of humans . Using the sensing and data analysis techniques developed to date, a quickened system for controlling human effectiveness is suggested wherein information on cellular changes, tissue changes, organic changes, body system changes, environmental control functions and task performance may be used to establish the relationship between the work capacity of and the work load on the individual operator.