Brief description

ERTS is a flexible software tool for developing and running psychological experiments, including accurate event and reaction timing. ERTS supports non-adaptive trial-oriented tests and continuous tracking tasks. A range of sample applications are provided, including Sternberg memory search, visual search, Posner's matching task, Stroop colour interference, mental rotation, continuous recognition and vigilance tasks.

Experiments are developed using a simple but powerful scripting language. For accurate timing, experiments should be run in MS-DOS mode.

Key features

• Millisecond event timing accuracy, even across trials
• Tachistoscopic colour image displays with minimum exposure time of one screen refresh
• Registration of key press and release from keyboard, mouse or external keys
• TTL sync signals of stimulus onsets and responses for EEG, PET or fMRI studies
• All input and output files in readable ASCII format
• High-level scripting language designed for experimental control
• SoundBlaster support for auditory stimuli and voice-key
• Direct support of a variety of graphics files (BMP, RLE, ICO)
• Support for pursuit and compensatory tracking

Optional features

An additional module (ERP) supports the synchronisation of tasks with the collection of physiological data. ERP can send TTL-like signals via the data lines of the PC’s parallel port for coding stimulus onsets and responses, and supports the integration of external TTL-signals (e.g. ready-to-scan) for synchronizing trials.

EXKEY logic provides a facility to design and use your own response pads. External response keys are software configurable and provide enhanced accuracy of response regfistration.

For more details, see the ERTS website.

Hardware and software requirements

• PC with 386 processor or higher
• VGA or SVGA video
• SoundBlaster-compatible sound card (for audio I/O)
• ERTS runtime engine requires DOS version 6 or higher, and for accurtate timing must be run in real-mode DOS rather than within a Windows DOS box
• Development may be carried out under Windows (any version)

For more details, see the ERTS website.