Bpod Port Array Module

SaraEB

Hi Bpod Team,

I bought a Bpod Port Array module hoping to expand the number of ports and valves I can control. I haven't been able to find any documentation on how to control valves with this module. How do I do this? I'm using version 1.59, with Bpod version .7-1.0.

Thanks,
Sara

Josh

Hi Sara,

Control is via the Port Array Module's serial interface.
To open the valve of port X, on port array 1, use:

{'PA1', ['V' X 1]}

in the 'output actions' section of a state.
The valve must then be closed explicitly with:

{'PA1', ['V' X 0]}

If you are using TrialManager, you'll need to program messages (e.g. ['V' X 1]) into the state machine's serial message library with LoadSerialMessages(), and refer to them in the state machine description by index. This restriction will be removed in the upcoming state machine firmware v23.

I hope this helps!

-Josh

SaraEB

Hi Josh,

Thanks for the reply. This does not work for any of the ports, 0-3. The code will run, but the port array module just doesn't trigger the valves. I couldn't find any instructions or documentation for how to use the module, so could you please either point me to the documentation or give me detailed instructions on how to set up/troubleshoot the module from step 1? Does it need a power source? Does it need a specific Bpod version to run? Do I need to pair it to the Bpod somehow? Does it come with the code already loaded onto it or do I need to do that? What needs to be plugged in where? Is there any other software I need to download for this to work, etc. I am using Bpod Console v1.59, Bpod State Machine r0.7-1.0. The state I'm trying to use to open a valve looks like this:

sma = AddState(sma, 'Name', 'Test', ...
'Timer', 5,...
'StateChangeConditions', {'Tup', 'CloseValve'},...
'OutputActions', {'PA1', ['V' 1 1]});

Thank you,

Sara