Compatibilty

SuperLab 6 or later support StimTracker Duo and Quad models in both directions, i.e. for sending event markers via USB and also receiving behavioral information via USB.

Sending Event Markers

StimTracker can mark the onset of visual stimuli directly by using small light sensors. It can also directly mark the onset of auditory stimuli.

But there are times when sending event markers from the stimulus presentation computer is still necessary, for example to send different event markers to code an experimental condition. When using SuperLab, you can send event markers by creating an event of type “Digital Output” and selecting StimTracker as the output device:

It is a good first step to verify that SuperLab is able to communicate with your recorder software, e.g. Acknowledge or LabChart. To do so, in the Event Editor’s Stimulus tab:

• Set “Pulse duration” to 500 milliseconds
• Turn on all the checkboxes labeled L0 through L7 in SuperLab 6.

These settings allow you to send a pulse that’s long enough to see, and to do so on all output lines.

Click on the Test Now button. The blue Code “A” LED on StimTracker’s front panel should light up. If it does, this confirms that the USB driver is installed correctly and that SuperLab is able to communicate with StimTracker. Your data recorder software should also be able to “see” event markers coming from StimTracker. If it does not, see the FAQs.

Using StimTracker As Input

SuperLab 6 can also accept inputs from StimTracker and treat them as responses to the experiment. This is useful in a number of cases, e.g. to use the Microphone input in StimTracker Quad as a voice key or to record the onset of behavioral data.

To get started:

• Click on the Experiment menu and choose Participant Input; a dialog appears.
• Enable the input device “StimTracker Input”.
• Click on the Setup tab.
• Click on the Auto-Detect button.

If StimTracker is turned on and the USB driver is installed, SuperLab will display the correct model and firmware information:

Once detected, click on the Responses tab. You can then create a response for the onset and/or offset of any input, as you would with any other SuperLab input device:

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Last Revision: May 14, 2020