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Reducing audio stimulus presentation latencies across studies, laboratories, and hardware and operating system
Destiny L Babjack1, Brandon Cernicky, Andrew J Sobotka
1Psychology Software Tools, Inc., Sharpsburg, PA, USA, drdbabjack@gmail.com.
Behavior Research Methods
|July 15, 2015
Summary
This study introduces Chronos, a novel device minimizing audio sound latency and variability in research. It ensures precise audio delivery (≤1 ms latency) across different computer systems, crucial for accurate timing in studies.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
Background:
- Audio stimulus delivery across different computer platforms and devices introduces significant variability.
- Variable sound onset latency complicates precise audio cue timing in research, especially in multisite or electroencephalographic (EEG) studies.
- Existing methods lack standardization, leading to inconsistencies in audio delivery across research settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the variability introduced by differing computer configurations in audio stimulus delivery.
- To introduce and validate a novel approach using Chronos to minimize audio sound latency and variability.
- To achieve reliable and consistent audio onset latencies across diverse hardware and operating system combinations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized E-Prime software integrated with Chronos, a multifunction USB data acquisition device.
- Implemented Chronos's audio subsystem employing buffering, aborting, querying, and remixing techniques.
- Assessed sound onset latencies for single and multiple sound deliveries across various hardware and Windows OS configurations.
Main Results:
- The Chronos system reliably delivers audio stimuli with latencies varying by ≤1 ms, irrespective of hardware or OS.
- Achieved consistent 1-ms sound onset latency for single sounds and standard deviations of 1/10th of a millisecond for multiple sounds.
- Demonstrated Chronos's sound onset latencies are small, reliable, and consistent across different systems without advanced scripting.
Conclusions:
- The novel Chronos approach effectively minimizes audio latency and variability, ensuring precise stimulus delivery.
- Standard audio delivery methods exhibit significant inconsistencies, highlighting the need for standardized solutions.
- Researchers must carefully consider hardware, OS, and audio delivery systems to ensure consistency in multisite and timing-dependent studies.
