Description
The valve driver module allows the Bpod state machine to control 8 additional solenoid valves. Valves can be supplied with 12 - 24 V, and each channel can source up to 250 mA of continuous current. When controlled from the state machine, valve current is set with < 100μs latency. The driver side is galvanically isolated from the control circuitry, and receives its power from a DC wall adapter matched to your load and drive voltage (not included; see specs below). The module's control circuitry can be powered directly from State Machine r2, eliminating the need for a separate USB cable.
Bpod state machines r0.7-1.0 have a much more limited 8-channel valve driver onboard, which serves each behavior port. It drives 12V valves only, with 70mA max continuous current, and only one valve can be open at a time. With the valve driver module, older Bpod state machines now have the ability to control larger inductive loads (e.g. solenoid pinch valves and solenoid actuators), and valves can be controlled in parallel. The board's most common uses are for behavioral reinforcement (liquid and air dispensing), and air flow control in olfactory research.
The valve driver module does not have an acrylic enclosure. Instead, it has a 3D printed layer of insulating plastic mounted below the board, to prevent short circuits if it accidentally rests on a conductive surface. The top of the board is exposed, and conductive liquids or other objects dropped onto the board may cause a short circuit. Sanworks is not responsible if this happens; see terms and conditions. We recommend mounting the board in a safe location in your behavior setup, protected from physical contact with liquids and conductive materials.
The valve module has a simple serial interface, which uses the same syntax to drive valves from MATLAB, Python or the Bpod state machine.