Software Support for Computerized Electromyography in Clinical Dentistry

This paper describes the software system for a minicomputer-based real-time data-acquisition system that is currently being used by clinical dental personnel of the University of Michigan Dental Research Institute. Because this system is utilized by operators who are unfamiliar with computers it is highly interactive. Also described are the software design considerations engendered by such a research environment. The software initially checks for certain errors, requests identifying textual documentation, then in real-time digitizes and records onto digital 9-track magnetic tape multiple channels of analog signals representing electromyographic (EMG) motion data. The software in turn acquires these raw data, reformats them, and under operator control edits the raw data. In the editing process, the raw data are reconstructed via a graphics terminal so the operator may view and select clinically relevant portions. These edited portions of data are written onto another digital tape for input to specific analysis programs. The software system and its functional character are described in detail, and examples of its utilization are presented.