ABSTRACT
In the United States, and probably in West European countries, when the role of the computer in the health care system is discussed, the image that comes to mind is a kind of information bank for health care institutions. The interaction of sensor and computer technology represents an instructive example of how different technologies can influence and drive one another. The development of tiny microprocessors was driven to a large extent by the needs of military planners and space programs because computer power was needed in small spaces. The microcomputer is currently the dominant technology. A personal computer that is capable of accommodating the flow of real-time electrical signals generated by most biomedically relevant sensors can be readily assembled out of parts that cost the hobbyist buyer about $2,000. Most instrumentation was historically developed for diagnosis; microprocessor technology is used most in that area.
