Programming an experiment

Introduction

The EXP_framework is meant for programming sound related experiments based on the TDT RZ6. The framework can be found in the biofysica toolbox. There are four biophysics labs that have a dedicated program.

• Auditory Motion Lab (aka Robot Arm)
• Auditory Perception Lab (aka Patient Lab)
• NIRS-EEG Lab
• Vestibular Chair Lab

The electronics workshop has an RZ6 as well for testing. So there are five dedicated programs:

• RA_program for the robot arm lab
• PL_program for the patient lab
• EG_program for the NIRS-EEG lab
• VC_program for the Vestibular Chair
• TL_program for the test setup in the electronics workshop.

Experiment Programming Framework

You can finde the Experiment Programming Framework (EXP_) and the lab programs in the biofysica toolbox on Gitlab (biofysica\experiment\EXP_programs)

The framework enables you to create a main program in a compact format:

    environment     = PL_environment;    
    hardware        = PL_hardwareSystem(environment);
    experiment      = PL_experiment(environment, hardware);                             
    recordings      = PL_recordingsHandler(environment, experiment);     
    player          = PL_experimentPlayer(hardware, recordings, experiment);
    guihandler      = PL_guiHandler(player, environment, experiment, hardware);
                                         
    %--------------------------Launch GUI-------------------------

    TL_Gui(guihandler);

The TL_xxxxxxxxx are classes derived from EXP_xxxxxxxx classes defined in the framework. The classes will be discussed below.

In order to build a new program, you need to make a two letter shorthand for the program (e.g. XX) and then derive new child classes and a Gui with the names XX_xxxxxxxxxx. Change the main program accordingly. Other newly child classes that need to be defined are classes for the subsystems that are used:

• XX_bioxSystem
• XX_eventSystem
• XX_ledSystem
• XX_tasklist
• XX_trialPlayer

You also need an environment (.env) file, a setupinfo (.info) file, a system (.sys) file.

Environment class

This class reads the .env file