Assembling the Setup

Preperation

In order to make sure, there is no interruption while you assemble the hardware we advise you to make sure you do all preparations before you start to assemble:

  • Obtain the needed hardware

  • Install the soundcard and NIDAQ-Card drivers as described in the corresponding user manual

  • After installing the soundcard change its settings to 4 input and 4 output channels

  • Build the sensor platform

  • Build at least one tube for the animals

  • Solder the speaker cables to a BNC connector (male)

Hardware

Place Hardware

  • Place the sensor platform in the soundproof chamber

  • Place the speaker(s) in front of the sensor platform without them blocking each other and both being horizontally centered in front of the tube. Place the startle-stimulus-speaker close to the sensor platform, as it needs to produce a sound pressure level of 115 dB SPL which it will only manage if the distance is small. (max about 5 cm)

  • Connect the amplifiers

  • Connect the power-supply for the sensor platform with 3V DC

Connect Hardware

Hardware configuration

The diagram shows how the different components are connected.

  • NiDAQ-Card measures the data of the soundcard, therefore needs a BNC Tee connector on the plugs ai4 an ai5

  • As we will connect the audio channels using BNC-cabels plug cinch-BNC(male) connectors into the channels 1,3,4 of the soundcard

  • Connect everything as stated by the following table

SC: soundcard SP: sensor platform BB: breakoutbox NI: NiDAQ-Card AP: amplifier pre-stimulus AS: amplifier startle-stimulus

From

To

Cable

NI

BB

SHC 68-68

SP-X

BB-ai0

BNC

SP-Y

BB-ai1

BNC

SP-Z

BB-ai2

BNC

SC-1

BB-ai3

BNC

SC-3

BB-ai4

BNC

SC-4

BB-ai5

BNC

BB-ai4

AP-in

BNC

BB-ai5

AS-in

BNC

AP-out

pre-stimulus speaker

BNC

AS-out

startle-stimulus speaker

BNC

power-supply

SP power in

solder