Graphical user interface GUI to generate visual stimulation protocols of drifting/static gratings using Psychtoolbox and a DAQ (optional) to get the stimulation type and time in a voltage output.
This program uses two screens: one for visual stimulation and one for setting and controlling the visual stimulation protocol.
- Run
MouSee.m. - Select the screen for visual stimulation.
- Turn on the app switch to initialize the monitor (using Psychtoolbox functions).
- Set the default screen (white, black, gray, gratings, etc.).
- Set the parameters of the gratings: drifting, directions, size, and frequency.
- Set if you want a random sequence and if you want sinusoidal gratings.
- (Optional) Select an output voltage channel of a NI-DAQ for recording the type and time of the stimulation.
- Set the duration of the stimulus, the duration of the interstimulus (as default screen).
- Set the number of repetitions.
- Preview the visual stimulation protocol and the total time on the right panel.
- Generate the images clicking on the button "Generate gratings".
- Press Run to start the protocol.
You need a NI-DAQ to send an analog output to record the type and time of visual stimulation. Output voltage of 0 V means no visual stimulation (gray screen), different values mean different directions. For example, if you choose 8 different directions (0º, 45º, 90º, 135º, 180º, 225º, 270º and 315º) the output voltage will use 8 different levels of voltage in order to identify them (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5 and 4 V).
Note: in our projects where we use black/blue stimuli, we turn off the channels red and green directly from the stimulation monitor.
If you use MouSee, please cite our paper:
Pérez-Ortega J, Alejandre-García T, Yuste R. 2021. Long-term stability of cortical ensembles. Elife 10:1–19. doi:10.7554/eLife.64449
This is an example of the graphical user interface during visual stimulation.
