The goal of this project is to upgrade and strengthen the physiology laboratories in Human Anatomy and Physiology through the incorporation of computer-assisted instruction. Students are exposed to classical physiological concepts and gain hands- on experience in physiology through the computer interaction. The software and microcomputers acquired are used to study basic concepts of respiratory physiology including the measurement of tidal volume, expiratory reserve volume and vital capacity, and forced expiratory reserve volume and comparative data are determined. Muscle physiology equipment is used to demonstrate the concepts involved in threshold stimulus, spatial summation, temporal summation, fatigue effect on contraction and relaxation and the characteristics of a muscle twitch. Concepts of cardiac electrophysiology are demonstrated through ECG measurements and determination of wave patterns, PR, QRS, and QT intervals, and ventricular rates. Reflex equipment demonstrate concepts involving the reflex arc of different stretch reflex systems.
