Knowledge Base

The Stimulus Presentation Tool

What Is The Stimulus Presentation Tool?

FaceReader is often used to analyze how a subject responds to one or more Stimuli in form of video, for example video commercials. Synchronizing the display of a Stimulus with the trigger of the corresponding Stimulus marker in FaceReader is essential.

With FaceReader and the Stimulus Presentation Tool, you can:

• Define the Stimuli to be presented, organized in a test (see below).
• Present the Stimuli while FaceReader analyzes the test participant's face.
• Automatically synchronize FaceReader data with Stimulus trigger markers.
• Track the test participant's gaze with the Advanced Research Module.

Tests

A test is a collection of video Stimuli being presented to a test participant. You can store one or more tests in your FaceReader project. The Stimulus Presentation Tool displays the Stimuli during the test while FaceReader records and/or analyzes the participant's face.

Furthermore:

• A test includes independent variables, like Gender, Age, or any other variable of interest defined in the project.
• Presentation of Stimuli can be randomized.

Software You Need

• FaceReader with the Project Analysis Module.
• The Stimulus Presentation Tool.
• The Advanced Research Module if you want to track the test participant's gaze.
• Recommended for two-PC configurations: a Network Time Protocol tool to synchronize computers.
  See Synchronize computers with a network time protocol

To Install The Stimulus Presentation Tool

1. Download the installation file Stimulus Presentation Tool 5 Setup.exe from the MyNoldus portal (my.noldus.com) and run it.
2. Follow the instructions on the screen.

By default, the Stimulus Presentation Tool is installed in the following location:

C:\Program Files\Noldus\Stimulus Presentation Tool 5.

To Upgrade The Stimulus Presentation Tool

If you upgraded FaceReader from version 6, 7, 8 or 9 and have Stimulus Presentation Tool version 1, 2, 3 or 4, there is no need to uninstall the previous version. However, version 1 works only with FaceReader 6, version 2 only with FaceReader 7, version 3 only with FaceReader 8 and version 4 only with FaceReader 9.

Computer Configurations

One Computer

In this configuration, the test participant uses a computer (for example the Noldus Portable Observation Lab) where both FaceReader and the Stimulus Presentation Tool are installed.

Two Computers

In this configuration, the computer of the test participant has the Stimulus Presentation Tool installed and running. On the test leader computer, FaceReader is installed and running. The two computers are connected through a network.

The diagram above illustrates a two-computer setup where the Stimulus Presentation Tool runs on the participant's PC and FaceReader runs on the test leader's PC, both connected via a local network.

To allow proper communication between the FaceReader PC and the test participant's PC, follow the procedure in Computer settings for a two computer setup with Stimulus Presentation Tool first.

Source: FaceReader 10 Reference Manual (Help), Noldus Information Technology