All KNOSYS components are simple, trouble free, rugged and easily modifiable by the user. Plexiglas chambers are made from 6 mm (1/4 inch) Plexi panels that are cemented or screwed together. Only widely available, easily replaceable parts are used and all components, including electrical connections are accessible to the user. Chambers are easily removed and disassembled for cleaning.
Operant Chamber
Operant chambers for rats and mice have a stainless steel floor and vertical
sliding door. The chamber is fitted with a ventilation fan, signal light,
magnetic buzzer, optional infrared photocell detector, manipulandum, and
calibrated liquid reinforcement delivery system.
The olfactometer operant box has a glass odor sampling tube, air exhaust
fan and exhaust hose.
All operant box accessories (except the ventilation fan) are mounted on a
removable Plexiglas panel that can easily be replaced by panels
containing stimulus delivery systems with different configurations (e.g.
multiple manipulanda, air sampling tubes, liquid stimulus delivery tubes,
light panels, etc.
Interface
The KNOSYS interface unit consists of a Computer
Boards DIO48 driver card for an ISA slot in a desktop computer or a PCMCIA
driver card for a laptop computer and a KNOSYS
external board that contains 24 output drivers and 24 input sensors.
The units are connected by a 3 meter long 50 line cable.
Each output can switch 50 volts at 3 amps. Each input sensor can be
activated by a switch closure, be used as photocell detector, or a touch
detector in which the subject acts as a switch by closing a 5 volt, 0.1
microamp circuit when making a contact response. LEDs indicate the
activation of each output and input.
The external card is a high quality printed circuit board with components
soldered in place or mounted on plug-in connectors.
Software Programs
Software programs are written in entirely in QBASIC and are easily modified
for special purposes.
Separate programs for initial shaping of operant behavior, stimulus
detection and discrimination are available. Each program provides a variety
of user configurable options for traditional psychophysical and
discrimination studies. While optional programs for special tasks (user
specified) can be provided, most users with a knowledge of BASIC will have
no difficulty in modifying standard programs or writing new test routines.
Older (386 or 486) processors are adequate for essentially all
KNOSYS software routines.
KNOSYS software programs are NOT multi tasking and we advocate a dedicated computer and interface for each behavior test system.