Bpod Console

When you launch Bpod and the device successfully connects, you see the Bpod Console:

The exact buttons displayed on the console will reflect channels and features available on your state machine version.

The console is your starting point for running protocols with Bpod. It has 5 sections:

• Live Info

  • • Displays current and previous states while running an experimental trial

    • Displays the last event recorded during a trial

    • Displays the start time of the current trial in the session

    • Displays the status of the USB serial connection - Idle or Transfer

• Manual Override

  • • This section contains an array of tabs. Each tab selects a panel of override controls for either the state machine, or a connected module.

    • If no module is connected, the tab will display "Serial N", where N is the number of the physical port (see Serial3 in image above)

    • If a module is connected, it displays as ModuleNameN, where N is the Nth instance of the module type found.

      • For instance, two SNES modules on module ports 2 and 3 would appear in separate tabs as SNES1 and SNES2.

    • The state machine panel provides buttons to override behavior ports, BNC and Wire interfaces.

    • The module panel defaults to a serial terminal, which exchanges data between the state machine and the selected module.

    • Custom override panels for modules can be created, and stored in /Bpod/Functions/Override Panels/

    • The number of panels shown will depend on the configuration of the state machine hardware and firmware.

• Config

  • • Contains four buttons:

      • Module Refresh (top-left)

        • requests a self-description from connected modules

        • updates the state machine's list of valid events and outputs.

        • displays each module in a tab in the Manual Override section of the GUI

      • Settings (top-right)

        • Launches a menu to configure Bpod settings:

          • Liquid Calibration

          • Audio Calibration

          • Bonsai (TCP/IP) configuration

          • Behavior port enable/disable

          • Flex I/O channel configuration

          • Sync line configuration

          • Data/settings path configuration

      • Module USB configuration (bottom-left)

        • Launches a UI for pairing connected modules with available USB ports

        • The resulting paired USB ports are stored in BpodSystem.ModuleUSB.(module name)

          • i.e. BpodSystem.ModuleUSB.WavePlayer1 could contain the value 'COM4', for use in your protocol.

      • System Properties (bottom-right)

        • Launches a panel that displays details of the state machine and its modules:

          • State machine firmware and hardware versions

          • List of the state machine's onboard hardware and functions

          • List of connected modules containing:

            • Name

            • Firmware version

            • Paired USB port

          • List of valid event names for the state machine assembler

          • List of valid output action names for the state machine assembler

        • Clicking the "Module Refresh" button (above) will update the info panel

• Session

  • • Session contains two buttons:

      • Play/Pause (top)

        • If idle, opens the launch manager.

        • If running a protocol, schedules a pause after the current trial ends.

      • Stop (bottom)

        • Stops a running protocol, dropping the unfinished trial's data.

• Help

  • • A help button on the console's top-right launches a web browser to view this wiki.

Notes:

1. While the console is open, the state machine's indicator LED will glow green. This indicates that the state machine is ready to communicate with the Bpod software.

2. If you close the Bpod console, the state machine's indicator will glow blue, to indicate that it is disconnected from the program. Running the Bpod command while the console window is open results in an error.

3. The console may contain some channels that appear grayed out. These channels are not available on the state machine you have connected.

4. Different state machine models are supported. For instance, the pocket state machine generates the following console: