Olfactometer

Olfactometer

Visual Lab

1. Select olfactometer settings

   Turn the Compressor and the Electrovalves on and set the olfactometer to Air compressor. Turn the ISI air on for the right nostril. The pressure should be set at the previously determined level (e.g., 0.3 bar for COMPEL). Other studies use the olfactometer with different parameters, so it's important to check.

2. Assemble the olfactometer

   Plug the odor cables into the olfactometer. There is a notch at the bottom of the connector which ensures the plug is positioned correctly.

   

3. Connect the olfactometer

   Plug the power cord into a power outlet. There is a new working outlet in a corner of the room (?).

   Plug the grey ethernet cable into the ethernet socket on the front of the olfactometer.

   

4. Test the ethernet connection

   Open the olfactometer test GUI. There is a shortcut on the desktop.
   

   
   1. Enter 2 into the Com port.
   2. Click on Switch to this port.
   3. Open any right-hand relay by ticking one of the boxes starting with R. You should hear a click as the relay opens.
   4. Quickly close the relay by unticking the same box. As long as the relay is open, the odor is being released. Do not leave it open for more than a few seconds to avoid spreading the odor in the room. You should again hear a clicking sound as the relay closes.
   5. Click on Finish. Do not close the GUI by clicking on the X or the connection to the olfactometer will not be closed properly.

MRI

1. Select settings

   Turn the Electrovalves on and set the olfactometer to Air network. Turn the ISI air on for the left and right nostrils. The pressure should be set at 0.3 bar (cf. post-it note). Other studies use the olfactometer with different parameters, so it's important to check.

   

2. Assemble the olfactometer (control room side)

   Plug the odor cables into the olfactometer. There is a notch at the bottom of the connector which ensures the plug is positioned correctly.

   

3. Connect the olfactometer

   Plug the power cord into the outlet.

   

   Plug the ethernet cable into the ethernet socket on the front of the olfactometer, and to the left ethernet socket on the wall.

   

   Plug the air cable into the Air network inlet on the back of the olfactometer. You should hear two distinct clicks.

   

   Plug the other end of the air cable (the naked one) into the air network. You should again hear two distinct clicks.

   

   Open the air network by turning the faucet so that it is parallel to the air network tube (i.e., horizontal). You should hear a rush of air.

   

4. Test the ethernet connection

   Open the olfactometer test GUI. There is a shortcut on the desktop.
   

   
   1. Enter 2 into the Com port.
   2. Click on Switch to this port.
   3. Open any relay by ticking one of the boxes. You should hear a click as the relay opens.
   4. Quickly close the relay by unticking the same box. As long as the relay is open, the odor is being released. Do not leave it open for more than a few seconds to avoid spreading the odor in the room. You should again hear a clicking sound as the relay closes.
   5. Click on Finish. Do not close the GUI by clicking on the X or the connection to the olfactometer will not be closed properly.

5. Assemble the olfactometer (MRI side)

   1. Place part A onto the MRI table. It should slide into the table grooves. Orient it as shown, with the tallest part of A closer to the participant's head.
   
   2. Unscrew the B components.
   

   3. Pull the olfactometer cables out of the closet. Make sure the olfactometer cables pass under all the other cables. Pull the olfactometer cables all the way out to be able to reach both sides of the table and to make sure they don't snag on anything when the table moves into the MRI.

   4. Insert the left and right C components into the D location. Left and right are relative to the MRI participant. The left C component has L in front of each number, the right C component has R in front of each number.

   
   5. Screw the B components back on so that they hold the C components. Screw as tight as possible.