Continuously increasing computational power (speed, storage capacity, screen resolution etc.) as well as the availability of easier to use programming tools has led to the development of a large number of computer-based tools also in life-science research and education. Still, among the most widely used tools at hundreds of Universities and schools worldwide is the Virtual Physiology series (SimNerv, SimMuscle, SimHeart etc.) although developed more than 15 years ago. Since recently, previous developers, together with experts from other institutes and with the help of digital media companies, are reprogramming these teaching tools by use of latest technologies as platform independent versions. Several new features are included with focus on the physiologically and methodologically relevant aspects and for easier experimentation, e.g. integrated and editable tutorials and protocol forms.

The principle didactic strategy, learning by doing, has been retained. The programs are providing realistically appearing laboratories on the computer screen that allow the students performing physiological and pharmacological experiments almost as in real life. Factual knowledge is a prerequisite but experimentation to work in these virtual labs but it is specifically the students’ understanding and know-how that shall be trained. Currently, part of the labs (SimVessel, SimPatch, and SimNerv) are still under construction while we can present new, completely revised SimMuscle, SimHeart and SimNeuron laboratories. For more information see www.virtual-physiology.com).

Figure: Recordings of isolated twitches, incomplete and complete tetanic contractions in the virtual SimMuscle laboratory.

Figure 1