Blackrock LED driver

Setup

Firmware update

Blackrock's stock firmware must be updated, to make the driver work with NIMH ML. When you receive a new driver, please bring it to Jaewon.

Install the FTDI driver

the FTDI website

the setup executable

here

MATLAB setup

Add the daqtoolbox and mgl directories of NIMH ML to the MATLAB path, to call the command-line functions without running NIMH ML.

Command-line functions

id = BlackrockLED_init;                      % This id is required to use the other functions

BlackrockLED_shot(id, intensity);            % change intensity immediately

BlackrockLED_load(id, intensity, duration);  % load an intensity pattern without changing output yet
BlackrockLED_play(id);                       % apply the pattern all at once

BlackrockLED_clear(id);                      % turn off all LEDs

temperature = BlackrockLED_temp(id);         % get temperature readings
temperature = BlackrockLED_temp(id, ver);    % ver - 1: pogo pins, 2: Omnetics connectors (default)

BlackrockLED_setmax(id, max_intensity);      % change the max settable intensity (0.5, by default)

intensity must be between 0 (off) and 1 (maximum current) and can be in any of the following formats.

a scalar (the same value for all channels)
a vector of 64 elements (individual value for each channel)
an n-by-2 matrix (a subset of the channels. [chanA intensityA; chanB intensityB; ...]). The channels not specified in the matrix are set to zero.
an n-by-64 matrix (n ≤ 50, patterned output). For BlackrockLED_load only. In this case, duration indicates the period of each row.

duration is in milliseconds and must be a multiple of 2.

BlackrockLED_shot sequentially changes the LED state and takes ~11 ms to turn on/off all LEDs, while BlackrockLED_play needs <1 ms. For precisely timed presentations, BlackrockLED_load + BlackrockLED_play should be used.
BlackrockLED_play turns on LEDs only for a certain duration, but BlackrockLED_shot keeps the new state indefinately.
BlackrockLED_temp reads temperature in a way compatible with the Omnetics connector cable, by default. Put 1 to 'ver', to make it work with the pogo pin cable.

Using the LED driver in NIMH ML

Let NIMH ML create the device "id" so that it can control stimulus presentation. The way to retrieve the created id from NIMH ML is shown below.
Only one application can be connected to the LED driver at a time, so do not declare more than one LED taskobject (or LED adapter), even when stimulating multiple times in a trial.
BlackrockLED_load (and perhaps BlackrockLED_setmax) is the only command-line function needed when using the LED driver in NIMH ML. Load a pattern with BlackrockLED_load before calling toggleobject (or run_scene).
Loading a new pattern turns off the ongoing stimulation, so wait long enough before loading another pattern to execute multiple stimulations in a trial. Repeating the same pattern does not require reloading.
See the "task\runtime v2\27 BlackrockLED" directory for an example of multiple stimulation.

Timing script v1

LED_taskobj.txt (conditions file)

Condition	Frequency	Block	Timing File	TaskObject#1
1	1	1	LED_taskobj	gen(BlackrockLED_taskobj)

LED_taskobj.m (timing script)

id = TaskObject(1).ID;              % TaskObject#1
BlackrockLED_setmax(id, 0.005);     % change the maximum allowed intensity for safety
BlackrockLED_load(id, 0.005, 500);
toggleobject(1);
idle(500);
dashboard(1, sprintf('LED temperature: %4.1f %4.1f %4.1f %4.1f', BlackrockLED_temp(id)));
idle(500);

Timing script v2 (scene framework)

LED_adapter.m (timing script)

led = BlackrockLED(null_);  % led.ID is the id, but you rarely need it in the scene framework
led.MaxIntensity = 0.005;   % or led.setmax(intensity);
led.load(0.005, 500);       % led.load(intensity, duration);
tc = TimeCounter(led);
tc.Duration = 500;
scene = create_scene(tc);
run_scene(scene);
dashboard(1, sprintf('LED temperature: %4.1f %4.1f %4.1f %4.1f', led.Temperature));  % or
led.temp(2);
idle(500);