Stimulus preparation and presentation¶
This section is intended for students or research staff whose protocol includes a functional MRI component for which experimental stimuli must be presented.
Stimulus preparation¶
When preparing your experiment, it is important to consider what equipment is available at the UNF. Contact the UNF technical coordinator for any questions related to the use of stimulus presentation equipment, behavioural data collection, or physiological recording.
Each new project will benefit from AT MINIMUM one free hour to perform a pilot acquisition in order to verify that all systems are working properly. The imaging data should also be verified.
Responsibilities regarding equipment use¶
UNF staff are responsible for operating and preparing the MRI scanner for each imaging session.
Users, that is, researchers, research assistants or students, are responsible for setting up, testing, operating and returning equipment to its proper place at the end of the acquisition session. This concerns all equipment required for their experiment, both in the MRI room and in the control room. UNF staff are available for technical assistance with equipment belonging to the UNF when necessary, but users must be able to use it autonomously. Users’ responsibilities include:
The preparation, installation and verification of the required equipment in the MRI room for each imaging session. This must be done before setting up the participant enrolled in the research project.
Connecting all equipment required for stimulus presentation, physiological data recording or behavioural data collection.
Starting the stimulus programs (e.g. E-Prime task).
Saving all behavioural data and physiological recordings.
Available equipment¶
Stimulus presentation computer
Windows 10 PC
E-Prime 3 from Psychology Software Tools
Image projector, Epson Power Lite L615U
Biopac physiological data acquisition system
Model MP-160
AcqKnowledge acquisition software, version 4.x.x
Response boxes
Cedrus Lumina system
FORBS system from Psychology Software Tools
Fibre optic microphone
TTL trigger simulator
MRI-compatible camera model 12M from MRC Systems
Eye tracking system
Researchers may use other stimulus presentation programs from their laptop. Simply connect the laptop to the video switch to display your stimuli on the projector in the MRI room. Your laptop must have a VGA output or you must have on hand the adapters required to connect to such an input