Electronic Circuits for the Behavioral and Biomedical Sciences

If you are one who seeks out the Amateur Scientist section in the Scientific American each month for the beauty of the illustrations and ideas presented for the young investigator, you may enjoy this latest addition to the literature illustrating in an applied manner some electronic devices for instrumentation in the behavioral sciences. The investigator working alone in a small laboratory, with meager support, must at times be frustrated by the published reports demonstrating extensive usage of electronic circuits by his peers. Most large research centers have on-going training programs conducted by persons with electronic training attempting to fill in the lack of physical science preparation evidenced by so many life science investigators. This trend will probably change in this decade as we witness the admission to medical schools of more engineers and physicists. This is, of course, providing that they do not all decide to find fulfillment in clinical practice. This new book could be easily understood by an interested high school student. It is meant for the researcher who needs instruction at the hobby level. No space is wasted on vacuum tube circuitry or theory. The first three chapters contain the graphic type of instruction found in the Do-It-Yourself electronic kits that are familiar to many of this generation. A very practical chapter on Power Supply Circuits is followed by four chapters on Sensing, Control, Programming, and Time-Delay circuits. Most of the circuits can be assembled and tested without expensive test equipment. However, no mention is made in the index of oscilloscopes, or how they may be employed to evaluate the Astable Multivibrator Oscillator circuit presented. One cannot assume that the investigator seeking instruction at the level of this monograph is versed in the operation of a laboratory oscilloscope. The selected Bibliography contains up-to-date references of material at the level of this small book. If the price of this book were divided up among several of the paperbacked manuals such as the ARRL Handbook, the G. E. Transistor Manual, and some of Harry Mileaf's Electricity and Electronic "lessons" (Hayden Book Co.) series, the Do-It-Yourselfer would receive more value for his money. This book would be more attractive in paperback at about 30%b of its present price. Again, there are no short cuts to skill in electronics. The Armed Services place many of the high test score candidates into medicine and electronics; both areas require years of training and education for true skill. Books like Mr. Zucker's will be sought out by investigators who really should seek out Mr. Zucker and his type instead for their shop. WADE G. HOLCOMB