Subject response equipment and instructions

The currently available and supported subject response equipment consists of a pair of 5 button handheld response button boxes.

X-Keys response button boxes
Programming X-keys buttons
Using X-Keys response button boxes with Presentation software

X-Keys response button boxes


The system (made by X-keys, P.I. Engineering, Inc. ) includes a right and left handsets and a control box with a USB connection to the stimulus computer. They are stored hanging at the end of the counter in the scan room. The control box is on the operator's console.

The system is a keyboard emulator. It is NOT a serial or parallel port device. Each key of the button box is programmed to act as if a keyboard key was pressed. The keys are easily reprogrammed to any key, series of keys, or key combination(s).

The response keys are usually set to emulate the 0-9 keyboard keys: 0 for the left pinky through 9 for the right pinky.
 

Programming X-keys buttons


To program the keys: 
  1. Through the small window in the control box, flip the switch to the PROGRAM MODE--ON position.
  2. Press (briefly) the desired key on the handset.  The green light in the Control Box will double-flash.  Then type the character, word, or key combination on the stimulus computer keyboard.  When you've finished typing, depress the same handset key again.  The green light in the Control Box should return to flashing evenly again. 
  3. Repeat step 2 with other response keys. 
  4. Switch the control box switch back to PROGRAM MODE--OFF.
  5. To test the new programming, open a text editor (or a program that resonds to the desired key combination). Pressing the response button(s) should result in the desired keyboard press(es).

Using X-Keys response button boxes with Presentation software

In the Input Devices tab of the experiment, select Keyboard from the Devices group and select the keys emulated with the response buttons as Active Buttons. Use the Test button: press the desired response box key to see if Presentation is aware of that event.