Since 1987, Psychology Software Tools (PST) Inc. has been an integral part of the research community supplying solutions for research, assessment, and education applications. With a team of researchers, developers, engineers, solutions consultants, and support technicians, the main focus of PST collaborators’ when delivering research solutions is to accomplish the goal of facilitating the advancement of science among research communities (i.e behavioural, fMRI, and MRI research).
Learn more about PST solutions that we supply including Chronos, E-Prime 3, Celeritas (fMRI Response device), MoTrak, and the MRI simulator with the information below.
Research devices for experiment design.
Chronos
The Chronos is a USB-based multi functional response and stimulus device that collates responses, presents sound while communicating between external devices within milliseconds. PST’s Chronos design disrupts the era of keyboards and traditional onboard sound cards with sub-millisecond sound output latency. With the Chronos onboard sound card’s millisecond accuracy, this eliminates variability between machines and sound delays.
To streamline communication with external devices, this product’s accessories is inclusive a refresh detector, foot pedals, custom button boxes, EEG amplifiers, biofeedback modules, and more. Eliminate time issues with over-sized activation keys for efficient response collection. In addition, record simultaneous button presses with an N-key rollover and customised debounce intervals to ensure efficient data collection. When voice recording, the Chronos collates voice-activated response data with configurable threshold settings.
With up to 16 digital inputs and outputs, this eliminates the need for a parallel port and provides the ability to hold up to 65,536 unique markers. Moreover, incorporated with Task Events from E-Prime, the Chronos would allow a script-free way to assist multi-modal research while synchronize data across platforms for streamlined external communication. Regarding stimulus presentation, this product is equipped with 5 programmable RGB LED’s (capable of 4000+ colors) for response mapping verification, stimuli or as feedback accuracy that can be modified with the E-Prime software.
Product Details:
To learn more about accessories to revamp research studies with Chronos, click here.
E-Prime 3.0
As the most comprehensive software for behavioural research, it’s innovative simplicity applied in institutions and laboratories in over 60 countries makes it the easy choice to automated experiment design, data collection and analysis. With millisecond precision to ensure accurate data and flexibility to develop complex experiments demonstrates it’s adaptability for both novice and advanced users as a world leading software program. Check out the video below for more details about how the E-Prime 3.0 can assist your behavioural research.
E-Prime’s Innovative Features & Applications
Intuitive Design
Designed for complete experiments without programming required
Easy drag and drop items to develop experiments
Programmed with text, images, movies, sounds, sliders, multiple choice and buttons
Displays performance feedback without script
Apply pre-built experiments and templates
Select between a variety of sampling methods
Customisation:
Visually display experiments on multiple monitors ready for presentation
Record participant vocalisations
Find and replace property values
Select preferred amount of data logging
Develop more advanced designs with scripting
Share common experiment operations with other users using package files
Debugging:
Simulate tests efficiently with auto response
Run in a floating window with real-time debugging
Review the Advisor report to identify experiment design issues
Engage an experiment from any listed options for streamlined debugging
Timing:
Millisecond accuracy in stimulus presentation and response times
Apply event or cumulative timing mode options
Avoid response latencies from input devices with Chronos (more details above)
Extensive timing data reports available online
External device Integration:
Connect to Chronos for intuitive digital or analog communication
Send triggers and markers without script by applying Task Events
Dispatch and receive triggers and markers via socket, serial, or parallel port
Create drag and drop package calls with the PackageFile Editor application
Communicate with joysticks using X/Y coordinates and buttons
Data analysis:
Data formatted in E-DataAid and .TXT files
Save preferred data layout for each experiment
Merge participant and session data into one file
Be alerted when data had been edited
Perform descriptive analyses and auto-generate excel plots and tables
Export data for inferential statistics in SPSS, R, and Excel
Applications
E-Studio; this graphical interface simplifies developing experiments by simply dragging and dropping objects onto procedural time lines.
E-DataAid; a data management application that features filter, edit, analyse, and export data capabilities to external statistical packages.
E-Recovery; a freeware that allows users to select an incomplete E-Run text file to be converted into an E-Prime data file.
E-Merge; this program allows to efficiently merge single subject files into multi-subject data files.
E-Basic; similar to Visual Basic for Applications™, this application is the programming language of E-Prime
For information about software requirements, please click here
Celeritas®
The Celeritas is a fiber optic response system that accurately collates participants responses and verify signals, with USB training units available! This functional magnetic resonance imaging device (fMRI) is customisable to any research requirements with the application of fiber optic button response units (BRUs) and joysticks. The fiber optic BRUs and joysticks were designed comfort and ergonomic fit of any hand sizes while constructed exclusively with non-metallic components. Both assembled with a chemical resistant, medical grade, bio-compatible plastic, so that the product can be repeatedly cleaned without degradation of material. These units communicate with button presses through fiber optic cabling that connects to an interface console located in the control room through an available wave guide. The new BRU’s is designed with a tactile indicator to ensure correct finger placement during experiments, and an adjustable wrist sled for additional comfort.
With USB versions of the Celeritas fMRI response units now available, including models 2- and 3-button left/right Ergo, 2- and 3-button ambidextrous, and 5-button left/right, this would encouraging effortless task practice. These USB component can also be customised with the original Celeritas Optic Response system. In addition, an interface console, Joysticks with omnidirectional analog stick and four buttons (includes a USB cable), and 10-meter fibre cables (or 32.8 ft.)
USB cables can easily connect directly to the PC while the PC is running an experiment. The USB unit versions can seamlessly be integrated within E-Prime or other experiment development software with a keyboard response input. Moreover, this interface console can instantly visualise real-time participant feedback. Furnished with an optical and BNC connector, this allows connected computers to accept either an optical or electrical TTL pulse that the presentation computer would interpret as another button to press to allow users to synchronise experiments with the MR scanner.
Learn more about the Celeritas with the video below or by clicking here.
The MoTrak is a head motion tracking system software is integrated with Ascension Technology’s trakSTAR, a sensor that is attached to the patient’s head to determine it’s position relative to the transmitter. This sensor records angular rotations and positional displacements from it’s initially calibrated position. This data is then recorded and displayed in real-time to allow observation of head motion in an MRI simulator to monitor how much the participant moves while the scan is in progress. In the simulator, the participant can simultaneously be accustomed to the MRI environment while being motivated to remain still via feedback from the MoTrak system. The MoTrak head motion tracking systems is composed of the MoTrak software, transmitter and receiver, head mounting straps, power supply (100-240v), and necessary accessory cabling for full usage and function. For all MoTrak users, the MoTrak is intended strictly for research applications only as the equipment is not MR safe and not for use within an MR environment.
Check out this video below or click here for more details about the MoTrak’s functional benefits:
MRI Simulator
The MRI Simulator is more important than ever before for researcher, professors, radiologists, nurses, technicians, and child life specialists. With patients that share symptoms of claustrophobia, anxiety, or excessive motions would produce failed MRI scan data that would be costly in terms of time and resources. This simulator has especially been effective supporting child and special population MRI studies. By acclimating people to MRI environments with simulator had demonstrated an improvement on data and reduced wasted time and spending. With the MRI simulator, supplies training, patient acclimation, and pilot testing that be efficiently achieved without wasting scanner access time. This MRI simulator provides realistic approximation of an actual MRI scanner to encourage participants to be introduced and become gradually accustomed to future MRI scanning procedures. Incorporated with mock MRI head coils, the MoTrak System, SimFx software, and other components (click here for more details), the MRI simulator has globally increased the efficiency and quality of research.
