Defining Hardware Settings

Overview

Regardless of what your hardware configuration may be (e.g. in-vivo or in-vitro, 1,2, or 3 data acquisition cards, use of auxiliary and/or stimulation channels, etc.), channel selection, signal routing, and clock synchronization is handled automatically. In order for this to work properly, NeuroRighter needs to be informed about what external hardware it is dealing with, and through what channels/ports signals are being routed through.  This is accomplished within the NeuroRighter application using the Hardware Settings window, opened via the System --> Hardware Settings drop down menu:

The hardware settings window is divided up into several tabs handle different aspects of the hardware configuration:

• • Real-time settings

  • Neural input settings

  • Auxiliary input settings

  • Output settings

  • Misc. setup tasks

We describe each of these in detail below.

Real-Time Settings

The real time settings tab contains all hardware settings pertaining to on-the-fly data streaming and stimulus creation.

• Polling/Buffering

  • ADC Polling Period - The period at which data collected on each ADC card's FIFO is offloaded to the computer's memory, and pushed into NeuroRighters internal data server, DatSrv.

  • DAC Polling Period - The period at which the output buffer within NeuroRighters output server, StimSrv, is offloaded to the DAC's FIFO for signal generation.

  • On Board Buffer Size - This defines how long into the past DatSrv persists data read from the ADCs before it is overwritten to make room for new data. This time can be decreased to meet your computer's memory requirements

• Real-time data streams

  • Checkboxes indicate which data streams will be served by NeuroRighter, via DatSrv, to listening external applications. This includes closed loop libraries. Minimize the number of these streams to reduce memory usage during operation.

  • For more info on using real-time streams in closed-loop protocols, please see the Closed Loop Guide and the NeuroRighter API reference. 

Neural Input Settings

Here, the user enters amplifier settings as well as ADC configurations from neural input.

• Preamp/Headstage Gain 

  • The passband gain of the headstage or pre-amplifier.

• Electrode input #1

  • Selected which ADC card will be used for the first 32 or less acquisition channels.

• Electrode input #2

  • If more than 32 electrodes are required, the user can opt to use a second data acquisition card.

• LFP input sub-menus

  • • If dedicated LFP channels are required (instead of just passing raw elecrode input through a digital filter to extract spectral content within the LFP frequency band) then the user can define what devices will be used for that here. NeuroRighter looks for these inputs on Axxx of the selected device.

• EEG

  • Define the EEG input device. NeuroRighter looks for these inputs on Axxx of the selected device.

Auxiliary Input Settings

Aside from neural input, NeuroRighter can be used to record a number of extra data streams.

• Stimulation timing

  • If selected, this device records information about electrical stimuli produced by NeuroRighter. This includes stimulus timing and channel information.

  • This requires that the use has wired there system in accordance with the stimulator setup section of the setup guide (

    • stimulator/power board)

• Auxiliary analog input

  • If there are unused analog input channels on the ADC (those not being used to record electrodes) then these can be specified to record auxiliary analog signals.

• Auxiliary digital input

  • If selected, 32 bits of digital input will be provided through the specified port number. Make sure this does not conflict with the port being used for digital output, if there is one.

Output Settings

NeuroRighter can produce a number of output streams (see Scripted Output Guide and Closed Loop Guide). These settings provide information about hardware routing and stimulation multiplexing to achieve this.

• Use Stimulator

  • This determines whether the native NeuroRighter stimulator will be used to produce electrial microstimulation.

  • The user must then select the NI card that they have wired the stimulator to work with (see System Setup for Stimulation)

  • The multiplexor type at the headstage stimulator module or at the MEA preamplifier must be selected

    • The in-vitro RACS stimulator uses 8 channel MUXs

    • The in-vivo stimulation muliplexors are 16 channel MUXs

  • The port bandwidth selects the required number of digital bits needed to correctly enable and address all stimulation elecrodes

    • The in-vitro RACS stimulator requires 32 bits

    • The in-vivo stimulator requires 16 bits.

• Stimulation I/V control

  • • Select which NI device is used to switch between current and voltage control electrical stimulation ( see System Setup for Stimulation)

• General A0 and D0

  • If  selected, this device will be used to provide 32 bits of digital output (through port 0) and 4 analog output channels (A0-3). Make sure that this does not conflict with the port location of digital input, if that is being used.

Miscellaneous Settings

• Impedance Measurements

  • NeuroRighter contains a very handy utility for checking electrode impedance using its electrical simulator

  • In order to perform impedance measurements, the stimulation system must be correctly setup and the electrical stimulation hardware settings mus be correctly defined.

  • This utility works by sending sinusoidal chirps through each stimulation electrode (either current or voltage controlled) and measuring the required voltage or current to deduce electrode impedance. Of course, this is not just electrode impedance, but include stray cable capacitances, leakage though microelecrode lead insulation, etc.

  • For a more detailed explaination, see the Impedance Measurements Page