Psychology hierarchical experiment spreadsheet with pre-release event time synchronization
Creating and executing real-time psychological experiments with sub-millisecond time precision uses a Hierarchical Experiment Spreadsheet (HES) providing a hierarchical data structure and interface. The user adds/modifies experiment levels in a spreadsheet multilevel table representation. New objects and properties are added while maintaining the hierarchical structure of the experiment and prohibiting user corruption of the experiments hierarchical structure. A Time Event Queue Manager (TEQM) provides precision timing using event pre-release synchronization, compensating for timing errors produced by the personal computer operating system and enabling sub-millisecond time precision. Separate microprocessor and embedded software provides an external time base time stamping and event output queuing of events between the subject and host computer; queues and releases host computer stimulus events at future time points; synchronizes host computer clock TEQM clock, displays refresh clocks; and provides an audit of timing precision of all events going to the subject.
1. An experiment generator for developing psychological experiments with each experiment composed of a number of trials, wherein each trial involves several experimental objects/operators and a collection of responses, wherein the trials are grouped in blocks and sets of blocks make up a session for each experiment being generated, the experiment generator comprising:
a first computer database spreadsheet associated with the session for the experiment being generated;
a second computer database spreadsheet associated with the blocks for the experiment being generated, the second computer database spreadsheet being subordinate to and interconnected with the first computer database spreadsheet;
a third computer database spreadsheet being associated with the trials of the experiment being generated, the third computer database spreadsheet being subordinate to and interconnected with the second computer database spreadsheet, whereby three dependent, interconnected, hierarchal spreadsheets are provided in the experiment generator;
and a time event queue manager for running the experiment being generated by a computer processor, wherein the time event queue manager will synchronize clocks, track timing, present stimuli at target onset times, and time stamp all input output actions and events.
2. The experiment generator according to claim 1 wherein the three spreadsheets are displayed to the user simultaneously.
3. The experiment generator according to claim 2 wherein the spreadsheets include headings and the dependent spreadsheets include hierarchal heading control.
4. The experiment generator of claim 1 wherein the experiment is run on a host computer and the time event queue manager uses a pre-release event time synchronization system having
a. An external dedicated microprocessor providing time stamping and event output queuing between the subject and the host computer;
b. A pre-release mechanism for having the host computer pre-release the outputs to the system;
c. An independent real time monitor for release events in real time and for time stamping input data;
d. A clock synchronizer to synchronize clocks at least between the system and the host computer;
e. And a time recording mechanism for maintaining a record of the timing precision of all events presented to or observed by a subject.
5. The experiment generator of claim 4 wherein time monitor of the time event queue manager has sub-millisecond accuracy.
6. A time event queue manager for running a psychological experiment, wherein the experiment is run on a host computer and the time event queue manager uses a pre-release event time synchronization system having
a. An external dedicated microprocessor providing time stamping and event output queuing between the subject and the host computer;
b. A pre-release mechanism for having the host computer pre-release the outputs to the system;
c. An independent real time monitor for release events in real time and for time stamping input data;
d. A clock synchronizer to synchronize clocks at least between the system and the host computer;
e. And a time recording mechanism for maintaining a record of the timing precision of all events presented to or observed by a subject.
7. The time event queue manager of claim 6 wherein time monitor of the time event queue manager has sub-millisecond accuracy.
8. A method for developing psychological experiments with each experiment composed of a number of trials, wherein each trial involves several experimental objects/operators and a collection of responses, wherein the trials are grouped in blocks and sets of blocks make up a session for each experiment being generated, the method comprising the steps of:
providing an experiment generator having three dependent, interconnected, hierarchal computer database spreadsheets, one of the spreadsheets associated with the session for the experiment being generated, one of the spreadsheets associated with the blocks for the experiment being generated, and one of the spreadsheets being associated with the trials of the experiment being generated;
using the computer database spreadsheets of the experiment generator to develop and modify at least one psychological experiment;
and running an experiment generated with a time event queue manager by a computer processor, wherein the time event queue manager will synchronize clocks, track timing, present stimuli at target onset times, and time stamp all input output actions and events.
9. The method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of simultaneously displaying the three spreadsheets to the user.
10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the spreadsheets include headings and the dependent spreadsheets include hierarchal heading control.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein the experiment is run on a host computer and the time event queue manager uses a pre-release event time synchronization system having
a. An external dedicated microprocessor providing time stamping and event output queuing between the subject and the host computer;
b. A pre-release mechanism for having the host computer pre-release the outputs to the system;
c. An independent real time monitor for release events in real time and for time stamping input data;
d. A clock synchronizer to synchronize clocks at least between the system and the host computer;
e. And a time recording mechanism for maintaining a record of the timing precision of all events presented to or observed by a subject.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein time monitor of the time event queue manager has sub-millisecond accuracy.