Using Electronics

Electronics have been used to coordinate biological activity. Heart pacemakers have been used for years to regulate heart rate in persons whose heart has lost the ability to produce a coordinated beat. A battery operated pacemaker has about a 5 year life span.

• Review the mechanism of heart beat generation and propagation.
• Outline how a pacemaker works to regulate heart rate.
• Why are there warnings for pacemaker recipients found near microwave ovens?

There are also devices that can be connected to the vagus nerve to control seizures.

• What is the function of the vagus nerve?
• How can stimulation of the vagus nerve prevent seizures?

Electronics can also be used to bridge the gap between sensory systems and the central nervous system. One example is the use of hearing aids. An even more sophisticated device is a cochlear implant. A futuristic proposal involves retinal implants to restore vision to a person. The list goes on: there are electronic devices that can smell odors and taste the four major sensations like your tongue. All this is possible because there are electrodes small enough to serve one nerve, bridging the electronic and biologic world.