On-line data acquisition and evaluation of long-term measurements of circadian rhythms in individual cells of Acetabularia.

A multitasking time-sharing computer system was implemented for studies of different circadian rhythms in individual cells of the unicellular green alga, Acetabularia. This fully automatized system allows simultaneous data acquisition and analysis. Graphical presentation of untreated and mathematically treated data is permanently available on three graphic displays and on a digital plotter. The sampling rate for the data acquisition in each of the 60 channels connected to the system is 720/24 h. Provisions have been made to guarantee uninterrupted data uptake for these long-term measurements by including an auto-restart module and by providing extremely reliable software for the experimenter using menu techniques.