Facilities provided by the department

Biopac MP150

The Laboratory of Experimental Psychology has a Biopac MP150 data acquisition platform for collecting physiological data. Our system can interface with the following available amplifier modules:

UIM 100C: For connecting the MP150 to the amplifier modules.
STP100C: For receiving digital inputs (‘event markers’) from the experiment software. The experiment computer can be connected with this amplifier via our USB serial to LPT convertor.
ECG2-R: For measuring Electrocardiogram (ECG; heart's electrical activity) data.
2 x EMG100C: For measuring Electromyography (EMG; muscle and nerve response activity) data.
GSR100C: For measuring the Galvanic Skin Response (GSR; skin conductance).
NICO-R: For measuring Impedance Cardiography (ICG; cardiac output) data.

There is a multiple purpose laptop available with an AcqKnowledge license. AcqKnowledge is software that lets you view, measure, transform, and analyze the data. Important: The Biopac system and the multiple purpose laptop need to be reserved individually via the lab organizer. The laptop can be found under the tab ‘Laptops’ and is called ‘Neurolaptop’.

For receiving the Biopac system/supplies/assistance, contact Vincent Hoofs.

Cedrus usb boxes

The department has 15 RB-730 responsboxes from Cedrus that are "tuned" with 4 more time accurate push buttons.

Cedrus boxes use a usb to serial port, the desktops are configured to recognize cedrus boxes on COM4.

Settings for the dip switches on the boxes must be set manually and are different depending on the experimental software you use:
Eprime: 1 up; Presentation: all down; Tscope: all down; Python: all down

Head/micro phones

The department has 5 over ear, noise-cancelling head phones

and 1 usb microphone (SE Electronics USB1000a) with tripod

Labs

Room 090.022 - 6 pc

This room has 10 cubicles where subjects can be tested. It has 6 desktops with monitor, US keyboard, mouse, parallel port LPT3

Hardware specifications: Dell Optiplex 3020 mini-tower; Intel Core i5-4570; 8 GB RAM; Benq XL2411Z LED monitor: 1920 x 1080; up to 144Hz; 2 ms RT

Software specifications: Windows 10 64 bit; Presentation 21.1; Open Sesame 3.2.8; PsychoPy 2023.2.3; Matlab R2018b; Psychtoolbox3.0.18; Anaconda 2019.10 Python 3.7 version; Tscope 5-0.6; Arduino 1.8.10; Microsoft Office 2016

Always check the refresh rate of the monitor before you start testing: Right click the desktop - NVIDIA control panel - change resolution.

Room 090.024 - 5 pc

This room has 5 desktops with monitor, US keyboard, mouse, parallel port LPT3

Hardware specifications: Dell Optiplex 3020 mini-tower; Intel Core i5-4570; 8 GB RAM; Benq XL2411Z LED monitor: 1920 x 1080; up to 144Hz; 2 ms RT

Software specifications: Windows 10 64 bit; Presentation 21.1; Open Sesame 3.2.8; PsychoPy 2023.2.3; Matlab R2018b; Psychtoolbox3.0.18; Arduino 1.8.10; Microsoft Office 2016

Always check the refresh rate of the monitor before you start testing: Right click the desktop - NVIDIA control panel - change resolution.

Room 090.021 - Eyelink+

The EyeLink 1000 plus system is an advanced eye-tracking system, based on the non-invasive acquisition of eye movements using video technology. Its capability includes:

Extremely high spatial resolution measurements.
High sampling rates (up to 2000 Hz monocular or 1000 Hz binocularly).
Head free setup possible .
Supports programs written in MATLAB R2021b, PsychoPy3 2022.1.1, Open Sesame 4.0.24 and SR Research Experiment Builder 2.4.193.
Network link (Ethernet) connects eye-tracking computer to experiment's subject-display computer. Support for real-time data transfer and protocol.
On-line analysis of eye movement data into saccades, fixations and blinks. Data is automatically stored into a data file for flexible post-acquisition and analysis.

This video-based technology provides measurements for horizontal and vertical eye positions and pupil size.

Contact person: Esperanza Badaya.

Everything you need to know about using PsychoPy in combination with the Eyelink can be found on the PP02 Sharepoint page (for internal researchers only)

Room 120.075 - Eyelink+

The EyeLink 1000 plus system is an advanced eye-tracking system, based on the non-invasive acquisition of eye movements using video technology. Its capability includes:

Extremely high spatial resolution measurements.
High sampling rates (up to 2000 Hz monocular or 1000 Hz binocularly).
Head free setup possible .
Supports programs written in MATLAB, Open Sesame 4.0.24, PsychoPy 2024.2.1 and SR Research Experiment Builder 2.5.1.
Network link (Ethernet) connects eye-tracking computer to experiment's subject-display computer. Support for real-time data transfer and protocol.
On-line analysis of eye movement data into saccades, fixations and blinks. Data is automatically stored into a data file for flexible post-acquisition and analysis.

This video-based technology provides measurements for horizontal and vertical eye positions and pupil size.

Contact person: Esperanza Badaya.

Everything you need to know about using PsychoPy in combination with the Eyelink can be found on the PP02 Sharepoint page (for internal researchers only)

Room 090.018 - EEG/eyetracking (skin conductance) (BioSemi ActiveTwo + Eyelink1000plus)

EEG is measured with a Biosemi and eyetracking is done with an Eyelink 1000 plus set-up. The set-up is with 64 EEG channels according to a standard 10-20 electrode placement. The system can handle additional input from a photosensor. Before running your first experiment with this set-up, please contact Vincent Hoofs.

Contact person: Vincent Hoofs

Hardware specifications of the stimulus pc: Dell Optiplex 7000 mini-tower; Intel Core i5-12500; 16 GB RAM; Benq XL2411Z LED monitor: 1920 x 1080; up to 144Hz; 2 ms RT

Always check the refresh rate of the monitor before you start testing: Right click the desktop - NVIDIA control panel - change resolution.

Software specifications of the stimulus pc: Windows 10 64 bit; Open Sesame; Matlab R2023b with Psychtoolbox and biosig toolbox; PsychoPy 2022.1.4; Anaconda 2023.09 Python 3.11 version; Microsoft Office 365; Arduino IDE 2.3.2; Git 2.45.1

Everything you need to know about performing an EEG study at the department can be found on the PP02 Sharepoint page (for internal researchers only)

Faraday cage 2 - EEG/eyetracking (skin conductance) (Biosemi ActiveTwo + Eyelink1000plus)

EEG is measured with a Biosemi and eyetracking is done with an Eyelink 1000 plus set-up. The standard set-up is with 64 EEG channels according to a standard 10-20 electrode placement (if preferred, it is also possible to run with 128 EEG channels). Before running your first experiment with this set-up, please contact Vincent Hoofs.

Hardware specifications of the stimulus pc: Dell Optiplex 7020 Tower; Intel Core i5 14500 vPro; 32 GB RAM; Dell G2524H monitor: 1920 x 1080; up to 240Hz; 1 ms RT

Always check the refresh rate of the monitor before you start testing: Right click the desktop - display settings - change resolution.

Software specifications of the stimulus pc: Windows 11 64 bit; Open Sesame 4.0.24; Arduino 2.3.2; PsychoPy 2024.2.3; Matlab R2024b

Contact person: Vincent Hoofs

This is a faculty lab room! It needs a double booking: one via "Reservatiebeheer FFPW" and one on our laborganizer

Everything you need to know about performing an EEG study at the department can be found on the PP02 Sharepoint page (for internal researchers only)

Rooms 24.01.100.068 and 24.01.100.066 - TMS/Eyelink 1000+

The lab comprises a TMS system, an eyetracking system and a stimulus computer. Access and booking occurs via contact person.

TMS system

Stimulator: Magstim 2002 (https://www.magstim.com/row-en/product/200/)
Coil: Double 70mm Remote Control Coil (https://www.magstim.com/row-en/product/d70remote/)
Subject chair: Rogue Gen 4 Subject chair (https://www.rogue-research.com/tms/chair/)
TMS computer (for signal processing):
- Hardware: Dell Optiplex 9020, Intel Core i7-4770, 16GB RAM; ZOWIE XL LCD display, 1920x1080 resolution, up to 144 Hz refresh rate
- Software: Windows 7 Home Premium, BrainVision Recorder 1.22.0101

Eyetracking system

Eyelink 1000+ (https://www.sr-research.com/eyelink-1000-plus/), with computer for signal recording
Stimulus computer (for stimulus display):
- Hardware: Dell Optiplex 7070, Intel Core i5-9600, 8GB RAM; Benq ZOWIE XL LCD display, 1920x1080 resolution, up to 144 Hz refresh rate
- Software: Windows 10 Home; PsychoPy 2022.1.1

contact person : Nicoleta Prutean

Broca room - TMS and tES

This is a GIfMI lab room, located at the UZ (building 55) and doesn't directly belong to the department. It needs a booking via the GIfMI site: http://gifmi.ugent.be/

There are two setups in the room: TMS (magnetic stimulator) and tES (electric stimulator for tDCS or tACS).

Hardware specifications for TMS: The TMS machine consists of one Magstim Rapid2 stimulator unit (https://www.magstim.com/row-en/product/rapid-family/) and a couple of alpha flat coils between 40-70mm. There is also a support stand available. TMS caps are to be ordered again (1 M size available).

Software specifications for TMS: The recording computer uses Windows 7. BioSemi ActiView605 is installed to record Electromyography (EMG).

Hardware/software specifications for tES: none, apart from the neuroConn stimulator DC-plus there is no hardware provided (bring your own experiment laptop)

Contact person: Eleonore Smalle