Synchronising an EPrime task with an external device (e.g. NIRS)

[Paul Groot]

Hi Tudor,

This is indeed different from MRI experiments, because you would like
to send event markers, instead of receiving a start or trigger signal
of an external device, such as an MR scanner.

The main question is: what kind of sync-inputs does the device offer?
You menion a few, but it's not clear which type is available on the
OxyMon. You also have to decide how many event codes you require,
because the kind of input port limits the range of unique event codes.

Generally speaking, EPrime can deal with classical IO-ports, such as
parallel printer ports, serial RS232 and game ports, but unfortunately
such ports become extinct. USB devices can be problemetic, and often
require special device drivers or interfacing software. Serial RS232
might be the best option (if the OxyMon supports it) because a serial
RS232 port can also be accessed by EPrime if it is connected by using
a USB-to-serial converter (in case a legacy port is not available on
the eprime computer). You also mentioned BNC, but BNC is just a type
of connector for coax cable. It is not related to any computer IO-port
(unless you use special add-on hardware, such as offered by national
instruments). The are often used for connecting analog signals, which
are less ideal for event encoding.

I also browsed the oxymon info
(http://www.artinis.com/product/nirs_accessories) and noticed that an
eprime intrface is available...

best,
Paul


2012/4/25 tudor <tudor3 at gmail.com>:
> Hello everyone,
>
> I'm running an experiment in which near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) data is
> recorded from subjects while they are doing a task programmed in Eprime. The
> task is a block design, and the points in time where each block starts and
> ends have to be included in the NIRS recording for data analysis purposes.
> Right now I do this manually, by inserting events into the recording every
> time I can see (by looking over the subject's shoulder!)  that a block has
> started/ended, but this is both inconvenient and inaccurate, as it sometimes
> happens to insert an event too late, or even miss it.
>
> I was therefore wondering if anyone has ever used Eprime to send sync
> signals from the task into an an external device (connected to the
> experiment computer through a serial/USB/BNC cable), at to program these
> signals to be triggered by certain events in the task, such as the
> beginning/ending of a block. I know people have done that with MRI, however
> in this case it should probably be a lot simpler. The NIRS machine that I
> have (an OxyMon III) has several analog ports but the PC only has USB ports.
>
> I'd very much appreciate any help, many thanks in advance!
>
> Tudor
>
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