~~DISCUSSION~~

Welcome! This is the home page for the optional hands-on (heads-on) 2020 edition of the "Rhythmic Brain" course.

==== Getting started with Emotiv headsets ====

  * Using the course laptops, launch the Emotiv Xavier Control Panel using the Desktop icon.
  * Click "Continue without Cloud Services"
  * Type an username ("TestUser" works fine)
  * Follow the instructions on the screen.


==== Analysis modules ====

  * [[analysis:rhythms:step1|Module 1: Setting up, loading and plotting Emotiv data]]
  * [[analysis:rhythms:step3|Module 2: Signal processing, basics of sampling (aliasing, Nyquist)]]
  * [[analysis:rhythms:step2|Module 3: Signal processing, Fourier analysis and power spectra]]

(more advanced modules can be found [[analysis:nsb2018|here]].)

==== Getting started with MATLAB ====

Depending on your background and programming experience you might find the following resources helpful:

  * Textbook chapter: {{:analysis:wallisch_ch2.pdf|Wallisch, "MATLAB for Neuroscientists"}}
  * [[http://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/getting-started-with-matlab.html?s_cid=learn_doc|"Getting Started with MATLAB" Primer]]. 
  * [[http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/about/cody/ | Cody]], a continually expanding set of problems with solutions to work through, with a points system to track your progress

If you are unsure, take a look at the table of contents of the MATLAB Primer in the link above. If there are things you don't recognize, use the Tutorials in the Primer itself, and/or Chapter 2 of the MATLAB for Neuroscientists book to get up to speed. If you've never used MATLAB, I recommend you start with the Tutorials in the Primer, and refer to the book chapter if you'd like a change of pace or a different way of explaining the same things.

Regardless of your MATLAB abilities, some great ways to keep learning are:

  * [[http://blogs.mathworks.com/ | Mathworks staff blogs]], especially "Loren on the Art of MATLAB" is a treasure trove of tips and tricks
  * [[http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/matlab | MATLAB questions on StackOverflow]], a Q&A site where you can browse previous questions and add new ones

If you have no training or experience in computer programming (i.e. you have never taken a "Intro to Computer Science" or "Introductory Programming" type course) a great introduction to the "Zen of programming" is to do the pen-and-paper exercises in this [[http://sites.tufts.edu/rodrego/files/2011/03/Secrets-of-Computer-Power-Revealed-2008.pdf | short chapter]] by Daniel Dennett ("The Secrets of Computer Power Revealed") before you embark on the MATLAB primer linked to above. Most people find it frustrating at first, but rewarding if they stick with it for a few hours.

==== Resources ====

Emotiv documentation:

  * {{:analysis:quickstartguide2014.pdf|Quick Start Guide}}
  * {{:analysis:emotiv_epoc_specifications_2014.pdf|Specification Sheet}}
  * {{:analysis:epocusermanual2014.pdf|Manual}}
  * {{:analysis:testbench_manual.pdf|TestBench (Emotiv software) manual}}
  * [[https://www.emotiv.com/knowledge-base/electrode-oxidation/|Cleaning instructions]]

The following textbooks provide more in-depth treatment of some of the topics we touch on in the course:

  * Textbook: Leis, Digital Signal Processing using MATLAB for Students and Researchers
  * Textbook: Johnston and Wu, Foundations of Cellular Neurophysiology
  * Textbook: Dayan & Abbott, Theoretical Neuroscience

Some tasks to try to generate specific brain rhythms:

  * Occipital-parietal alpha (10 Hz): eyes-open vs eyes-closed contrast
  * Frontal alpha: negative high arousal picture viewing, or mentally counting backwards from a large number in steps of 7 or 13
  * Drawing a stick figure (see for yourself what happens, take care to avoid moving artifacts)