Knowledge Base

Control Hardware Devices (Continued)

1. Under the Arena name, select the physical device you want to test, and click Test. A new window appears.

2. Depending on the hardware device:

   • For any device that can receive a signal from and send it back to the computer (examples are the Pellet dispenser, Activity wheel break, or Backlight unit white light): Select the appropriate action, click Test and check that the action has been taken. You can also view the result in the Test window — for example, the Number of drops has increased by 1.
   • For any device that can only send a signal to the computer, not receive any (examples are the Lickometer, PhenoWheel, or the Activity wheel counter): Trigger the device manually and check the result in the Test window.
   • For the Top Unit: From the Command list, select the action you want to test, click Test and check the result in the PhenoTyper.
   • For the Custom Hardware Device (for example, the Illuminated shelter): From the Command list, select the action you require, click Test and check that the device has been activated correctly.
   • For the TTL Port Tester: Use this device to check the two-way communication for a specific port. Press a button on the device and check the result in the Test window. From the Command list, select a command and click Test. Check the result on the tester box.

3. When ready, click OK.

Notes

• Data from the Lickometer and the PhenoWheel are read out in regular time intervals. For the Lickometers currently sold by Noldus IT, the time interval is two seconds, and for the current PhenoWheel it is 60 seconds.

• For all devices: The fact that a signal is given correctly in the Test window but you do not see the response from the device could mean that the device is not functioning (for example, a lamp is broken).

• For the Pellet dispenser: If the Test window shows error state = true, the pellet dispenser is not connected to the IO-box, or the food pellets are no longer available.

• For the Lickometer: Number of licks and Duration of licks is the cumulative number and duration of licks since the Test button has been clicked, respectively. The device is read out at regular time intervals. At the end of the interval the number and duration of licks is displayed very briefly.

Important: If you realize that the values of Number and Duration of licks given by EthoVision XT are much higher than expected, close EthoVision XT, disconnect and re-connect the IO-box to the computer and then restart EthoVision XT.

• For the Top Unit, TTL Port Tester and Custom Hardware Device: You can also view the result of the action to be tested in the Test window. Locate the Signal you want to test and verify that Value changes from false to true or vice versa. For the TTL Port Tester, you can also press a button and check the counts of presses for that button.

Program Trial Control with Hardware Devices

In the Trial Control Settings, you can define:

• Conditions based on a hardware device. For example, as soon as the cumulative duration of licks equals 1 minute, stop recording.
• Actions on a hardware device. For example, have the Pellet dispenser drop a pellet, or switch on the PhenoTyper's white light.

Define an Action on a Hardware Device

1. In the Components pane, under Actions, double-click the button next to the name of the device type you want to control, or click the button next to it. The Hardware Action window appears.
2. Under Name, enter an Action name. Under Comment (at the bottom) enter a description (optional).
3. Under Action to perform, select the Device name you want to use. The names listed there are defined in the Arena-Hardware mapping window.
4. From the Action to perform list, select the action that the device must take.
5. Click the Test button to check the hardware action. Click the Reset button to reset all hardware.
6. Click OK. Insert the Action box in the appropriate position in the rule. For information on how to do this, see the EthoVision XT Help.

What You Need

• One of the following hardware interfaces: the Noldus USB-IO box, the Noldus Mini USB-IO box, or the DanioVision Observation Chamber.
• You can control the Ugo Basile Fear Conditioning system without a hardware interface. See the EthoVision XT 18 - Application Manual.
• The hardware interface software Noldus HardwareInterface USB-IO box version 5 (for the USB-IO box/Mini USB-IO box/DanioVision). This software is automatically installed when you install EthoVision XT.

Tip: To check what is currently installed on your EthoVision XT computer, see Windows Control Panel > Programs and Features / Add or remove programs.

General Notes

• For general information on programming trial control, see the relevant section in the documentation.

• The items listed under Actions are the Device names selected in the Arena-Hardware mapping window. If the device name is not listed under Actions, check that the port connections are set correctly and that the devices are mapped in the arenas.

• If you have a setup with multiple arenas, it is assumed that each arena has a physical device under that Device name. An action is taken in each arena separately, when the accompanying condition is met in that arena.

• Actions like Light on and Sound on result in the light or sound device being activated for an indefinite time. Remember to add an extra action that switches that light or sound off. The two actions should be separated by a condition. For example: Action Light on > Condition Wait 1 s > Action Light off.

• If you define a sequence of multiple actions on the same device, these are probably evaluated at the same sample time. This happens because the computer is fast enough to analyze multiple Trial Control boxes in one sample. To make sure that actions are taken in sequence, add a Time condition between actions so that the program waits for a short time (for example, 0.1 s) before executing the next action.

• You can also activate a hardware device like a Pellet dispenser manually. In the Manual Scoring Settings, define a fictitious behavior (for example, Pellet) and select the type Point event. In the Trial Control Settings, create a sub-rule that contains the following conditions and actions: [Rule Begin] > [Condition: Frequency (Pellet)>=1] > [Action: Drop pellet] > [Rule End]. During acquisition, every time you score Pellet, the Drop pellet action will be triggered.

Source: EthoVision XT 18 - THC - Trial and Hardware Control, Noldus Information Technology