scholarly journals pyPhotometry: Open source Python based hardware and software for fiber photometry data acquisition

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Akam ◽  
Mark E. Walton

Fiber photometry is the process of recording bulk neural activity by measuring fluorescence changes in activity sensitive indicators (e.g. GCaMP) through an optical fiber. We present a system of open source hardware and software for fiber photometry data acquisition consisting of a compact, low cost, data acquisition board built around the Micropython microcontroller, and a cross platform graphical user interface (GUI) for controlling acquisition and visualising signals. The system can acquire two analog and two digital signals, and control two external LEDs via built in LED drivers. Time-division multiplexed illumination allows independent readout of fluorescence evoked by different excitation wavelengths from a single photoreceiver signal. Validation experiments indicate this approach offers better signal to noise for a given average excitation light intensity than sinusoidally-modulated illumination. pyPhotometry is substantially cheaper than commercial hardware filling the same role, and we anticipate, as an open source and comparatively simple tool, it will be easily adaptable and therefore of broad interest to a wide range of users.

Author(s):  
Arvid Ramdeane ◽  
Lloyd Lynch

The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, Trinidad and Tobago, operates a network of over 50 stations for earthquake and volcanic monitoring in the Eastern Caribbean islands. These stations form a seismic network consisting of various types of instrumentation, and communication systems. Over a period of 11 years, the Centre has embarked on an initiative of upgrading and expanding the current network with combinations of broadband and/or strong motion sensors, high dynamic range digitizers and networking equipment to link each station to centralized observatories via high speed digital data transmission medium. To realize such an upgrade and expansion, the Centre has developed a seismic data acquisition system prototype built using open-source hardware and software tools. The prototype is intended to be low-cost using off the shelf hardware components and open-source seismic related software handling data acquisition and data processing in two separate modules. The prototype uses a three-channel accelerometer sensor and can process data into standard MiniSEED format for easy data archiving and seismic data analysis. A global position module provides network time protocol time synchronization within 1 millisecond for accurate timestamping of data. Data can be stored locally on the prototype in twenty-minute data files or securely transferred to a central location via internet with the use of virtual private network capabilities. The prototype is modular in design allowing for components to be replaced easily and the system software can be updated remotely thus reducing maintenance cost.


2021 ◽  
pp. 096100062110165
Author(s):  
Mohammadhiwa Abdekhoda ◽  
Fatemeh Ranjbaran ◽  
Asghar Sattari

This study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the role of information and information resources in the awareness, control, and prevention of COVID-19. This study was a descriptive-analytical survey in which 450 participants were selected for the study. The data collection instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data through SPSS. The findings show that a wide range of mass media has become well known as information resources for COVID-19. Other findings indicate a significant statistical difference in the rate of using information resources during COVID-19 based on age and gender; however, this difference is not significant regarding the reliability of information resources with regard to age and gender. Health information has an undisputable role in the prevention and control of pandemic diseases such as COVID-19. Providing accurate, reliable, and evidence-based information in a timely manner for the use of resources and information channels related to COVID-19 can be a fast and low-cost strategic approach in confronting this disease.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 572
Author(s):  
Mads Jochumsen ◽  
Taha Al Muhammadee Janjua ◽  
Juan Carlos Arceo ◽  
Jimmy Lauber ◽  
Emilie Simoneau Buessinger ◽  
...  

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have been proven to be useful for stroke rehabilitation, but there are a number of factors that impede the use of this technology in rehabilitation clinics and in home-use, the major factors including the usability and costs of the BCI system. The aims of this study were to develop a cheap 3D-printed wrist exoskeleton that can be controlled by a cheap open source BCI (OpenViBE), and to determine if training with such a setup could induce neural plasticity. Eleven healthy volunteers imagined wrist extensions, which were detected from single-trial electroencephalography (EEG), and in response to this, the wrist exoskeleton replicated the intended movement. Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited using transcranial magnetic stimulation were measured before, immediately after, and 30 min after BCI training with the exoskeleton. The BCI system had a true positive rate of 86 ± 12% with 1.20 ± 0.57 false detections per minute. Compared to the measurement before the BCI training, the MEPs increased by 35 ± 60% immediately after and 67 ± 60% 30 min after the BCI training. There was no association between the BCI performance and the induction of plasticity. In conclusion, it is possible to detect imaginary movements using an open-source BCI setup and control a cheap 3D-printed exoskeleton that when combined with the BCI can induce neural plasticity. These findings may promote the availability of BCI technology for rehabilitation clinics and home-use. However, the usability must be improved, and further tests are needed with stroke patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 2258-2271

Inceptions for chemical process automation are presented in this study. A chemical process demonstrated by neutralization reaction was designed, built, and tested experimentally towards evaluating automation and control algorithms through the Arduino Mega platform. The main objective parameter in this work was selected to be the product pH value, which was evaluated based on several scenarios that targeted various changes in direct and indirect effects. Two main branched ideas were investigated in this study; the first was dealt with the application of Arduino board in the automation of chemical process; the second was dedicated to studying integration of Arduino board in controlling the targeted pH parameter in the product side. Upon examining different automation scenarios, an algorithm was developed to approach the product quality of specific pH and temperature efficiently. The automation algorithm was further developed by integrating the process dynamics and control concepts towards speeding up the pH set point's reach. To make this happen, the pump's speed was corrected and tuned based on the feedback signal from the pH sensor. Consequently, the setpoint was reached in shorter periods, attaining considerable savings in time (≈ 35%). Based on the study outcomes, it is believed that Arduino open source is a challenging and promising low-cost platform, proved useful for mimicking control and automation of chemical processes.


Author(s):  
Antor Mahamudul Hashan ◽  
Abdullah Haidari ◽  
Srishti Saha ◽  
Titas Paul

Due to the rapid development of technology, the use of numerically controlled machines in the industry is increasing. The main idea behind this paper is computer-aided design (CAD) based low-cost computer numerical control 2D drawing robot that can accurately draw complex circuits, diagrams, logos, etc. The system is created using open-source hardware and software, which makes it available at a low cost. The open-source LibreCAD application has been used for computer-aided design. Geometric data of a CAD model is converted to coordinate points using the python-based F-Engrave application. This system uses the Arduino UNO board as a signal generator of the universal g-code sender without compromising the performance. The proposed drawing robot is designed as a low-cost robot for educational purposes and aims to increase the student's interest in robotics and computer-aided design (CAD) skills to the next level. The drawing robot structure has been developed, and it meets the requirements of low cost with satisfactory experimental results.


2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Fantozzi ◽  
Umberto Desideri

Abstract Small scale Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) powered Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants are economically convenient when availability and efficiencies are above specified limits. Nevertheless these plants are often run without a monitoring device capable of data storing and trending and of performance evaluation. This paper describes the setting up of a powerful low-cost monitoring system for the CHP plant that powers the School of Engineering of the University of Perugia. Data acquisition is performed by interfacing a Personal Computer (PC) to existing control panels via, serial port, and to a data acquisition board for those variables that are not measured by existing devices. Performance indexes are then calculated via software. Alarms and controls are stored as well to set up a database for diagnostic purposes. The monitoring itself has already shown its troubleshooting capability in interface to maintenance personnel: history trending of variables speeds up the phase of failure identification because it eliminates those possibilities that are negated by cross referencing values of different variables.


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