The microcomputer kit: An excellent small system development tool

A method is described for demonstrating the integration of a do-it-yourself microcomputer kit into a small dedicated system configuration useful in many clinical and research applications. An Intel SDK-80 microcomputer is used as the main component of an on-line biofeedback system that features a digital display of beat-by-beat heart rate, a continuous feedback of an audio tone proportional to the rate, a CRT display of average rate, and a servo recorder to produce 1-min bar-graph plots. The compact size, effectiveness, and low cost of the microcomputer permit the development of many small dedicated systems that formerly were impractical applications for expensive and under-utilized minicomputer systems.