Method and apparatus for obtaining a response from a subject

摘要

An input device comprises a housing on which is mounted a rotary knob. A pushbutton is mounted adjacent the knob to permit a person who has adjusted the knob to enter or save the value corresponding to the position of the knob. The knob is connected to a potentiometer which translates rotary movement into an electrical signal. A computer runs software which monitors the signals received from the knob and generates a display on the monitor which will typically be in the form of a thermometer or another well-known object. According to the position of the knob and the consequent signal from the transducer, the thermometer is depicted as being more or less "full". The software monitors the value of the input signal corresponding to the "fullness" of the thermometer or container and records the value thereof, which corresponds to the subject's response to one or more questions.