Software

Ntools is the software suite that accompanies the NSpike system. A Subversion (SVN) and tracking system is in place to manage software changes by several users in parallel. For more info, see Subversion.

1 . Functionality Wish List

one simple GUI script to convert and decimate data from .nspike.dat, ieeg.dat, matlab format – DONE
fix parallel port inputs ( C: pin 2 not working; D: all pins working, but order reversed) – high priority
- Need to review this issue – see NSPike Recording System
have visual display speed comparable with clinical system -medium priority
allow rereferencing to match clinical montage on- and offline -medium priority
online averages – medium priority
online FFT display -medium priority
add ability to pause display frame -low priority
variable sampling frequency across channels -DONE
- NSpike now allows decimation of the raw 30kHz signal during recording. T
- The same sampling rate applies to all channels, so variable sampling frequency across channels is not implemented yet.
- To control the sampling rate, change the value of the experiment.recording.sample_rate field in the experiment definition file.
  - If the selected sampling rate is not an integer divisor of 30kHz, the closest integer divisor will be used.
  - THIS SAMPLING RATE IS NOT UPDATED IN THE EXPERIMENT DEFINITION FILE, so make sure you select an appropriate sample rate.
LOC toolbox compatibility -medium priority
converting NSpike data output to Matlab -top priority
- epoch_data structure (see http://neuroimaging.pbwiki.com/Data+Structures) – DONE
- avg_data structure (see http://neuroimaging.pbwiki.com/Data+Structures) – DONE
- cont_data structure with trigger info (new), memory issue? – chat w/ Jason Sherfey
save all 3 def files in data folder during recording – DONE
offline lowpass filtering, decimation and notch filtering -top priority
- DONE
60 Hz notch filter for display -DONE
syncing with video -high priority (we need this if we want to record w/o simultaneous clinical amps)
- DONE in basic form.
- DONE in more advanced form.
  - A matlab session on the nspike machine sends a unique 32bit time code every second or so, to the sound card output
  - The signal from the sound card is split. One path goes into the Firewire ADVC to sync with the camcorder video signal.
  - The other path goes into the 1st channel of the NI card patch panel on the nspike system to sync with the neural signals
    - DO NOT CHANGE THE CHANNEL FROM THE FIRST CHANNEL AS THIS WILL CORRUPT THE ACQUISITION
  - ntools_procVideoSync.m generates the timecodes from the nspike comedi recording file and saves in rec###.videosync.txt
    - This needs to be extended to generate timecodes from the avi file from the Video Capture.

record analog and digital channels from NI card -medium priority – DONE
allow acq software to function w/o data glove – low priority – DONE
putting information on soft- and hardware on the wiki, schematic of NSpike system and acquisition/analysis procedures – medium priority

choose output path folder in GUI (may already exist)
define 2 seperate exp_def files, one subject-specific, one task-specific: -high priority
- subject
  - patient ID
  - montage
  - differentiate between macro and micro channels
  - implantation date
- task
  - task name
  - task codes for parallel port codes
  - data glove yes/no
- hardware/software acquisition settings
  - sampling rate for macro and micro channels
  - DSP filter settings for macro and micro
  - hardware DSP settings, IP etc.
  - data glove sampling rate
C code for decimation (exists in Bijan’s lab)

ts_browseraw
- fix channel placements -high priority
- fix filter problem at edges -low priority
- add 60 Hz notch filter button -medium priority
- add bipolar montage option -medium priority
- add FFT option -low priority
- add channel with time of day -low priority
- fix units (microvolts) -medium priority
- video syncing -medium priority (Heeger lab will do this)

System Software

Jim McArthur’s document & software depository: