AcqKnowledge GUI Overview

AcqKnowledge includes a new simplified graphic user interface with streamlined windows, easy toolbar select, additional toolbar buttons, and timer functionality. This video will provide a quick overview of each feature AcqKnowledge Software Details. These features are available for AcqKnowledge 4.4 and above.

AcqKnowledge Smoothing

AcqKnowledge software allows you to run a smoothing function as an online calculation or an offline transformation. There are two modes of operation for the smoothing, both use a running average over a user-defined number of samples. In Mean value smoothing, as the moving average is running through the data the mean value is used for the output of the average. In Median value smoothing, as the moving average is running through the data, the median value is used instead of the mean.

The greater the number of samples used for smoothing, the more aggressive the smoothing will be. The tutorial runs through a sample for Mean smoothing and a sample for Median smoothing, plus shows the effect of different values on sample data—and how easy it is to test if you’ve been too aggressive.

The sample file used to demonstrate Mean smoothing is a three channel recording with ECG, Heart Rate, and Respiration; data was recorded at 1,000 samples/second. The heart rate channel is calculated similar to a tachogram, with discreet values and a stair-step display instead of a smooth waveform. Clicking the Transform menu and selecting Smoothing generates the dialog where you select smoothing mode and value. In this sample file, Mean smoothing with 10 sample smoothing has no effect…100 samples begins to take the edges away…500 achieves the desired effect.

For Median smoothing, the sample file has Electrodermal Activity (EDA, also know as galvanic skin response, GSR)  recorded at 30 samples/second, a duplicate of the EDA channel to perform the smoothing on, and stimulator firing data. The stimulator was firing pairs of electrical stimuli at a subject and the subject had electrodes on for EDA and the amplifier was picking up the electrical signal as it was delivered from the stimulator. In this type of recording, you’ll want to remove signal contamination without distorting the waveform. Mean smoothing would smooth the data, but Median works very well at removing rapid frequency spikes from a relatively slow-moving signal such as EDA. Median smoothing at 20 samples eliminates the spikes.

To check the signal distortion, hide the stimulator channel, then scale and overlap the two EDA channels….see how noise was eliminated without distorting the waveform. For comparison, switch to Mean smoothing at the same level—you’ll still see noise contamination spikes plus you’ll see distortion of the waveform. Try different modes and different values to identify when Median smoothing is the better choice for some waveforms.

Easy Experiment Set Up with AcqKnowledge

It’s quick and easy to set up your first experiment in AcqKnowledge. Follow along as we go through the main set up dialog and show you how to save your settings as a default recording configuration or a graph template for future use. This applies to AcqKnowledge 4.4 and above.

Focus Areas | AcqKnowledge Tutorial

Focus Areas is a powerful analysis tool available in AcqKnowledge 4.3 or above. Focus Areas allow the user to specify and mark areas of interest in the data for further analysis. Next, automated analysis routines or the cycle detector can be run specifically on the Focus Areas instead of the entire data file. This in-depth tutorial covers the basics of Focus Areas as well as specific examples for Automated BP Analysis (2:12), Automated EDA Analysis/ GSR analysis (5:52), Automated Ensemble Averaging (9:39), and Automated Find Cycle Analysis (13:20). AcqKnowledge Data Acquisition & Analysis Software

Focus Areas | Use Find Cycle to Create around Digital Events

This screencast shows how to use Find Cycle tools to create Focus Areas around digital events that come from stimulus presentation systems such as E-Prime, SuperLab, and Presentation. The Focus Areas can then be used to analyze regions of interest and skip over the regions that are unimportant. Find Cycle tools are available in AcqKnowledge and Biopac Student Lab PRO software. If using AcqKnowledge 4.3 or above, watch Focus Areas | Automatically Create Using Define Between Events for a simplified option. See also Stimulus Presentation Event Marking.

Linked Acquisitions in AcqKnowledge

Harness the power of AcqKnowledge and perform Linked Acquisitions from multiple hardware devices. Record from multiple MP160s, MP150s, MP36Rs, B-Alert headsets, or a combination of devices at the same time! Choose from multiple synchronization methods, and specify whether or not to create a merged data file at the end of recording. The merged data file will contain all channels of data from each recording, and be independent of the data files for each device. Linked Acquisitions are available in AcqKnowledge 4.3 or above. Contact BIOPAC for more information or to upgrade to AcqKnowledge Data Acquisition & Analysis Software.

Preset Options in AcqKnowledge

Use AcqKnowledge preset options to save time on recording and analysis. Expanded Rate and Expression Presets are available for both calculation channel set up and offline analysis in AcqKnowledge 4.4 or above. Measurement box configuration presets are also available – simply specify the number of horizontal and vertical measurement boxes desired and save as a preset for future use. AcqKnowledge Data Acquisition & Analysis Software

Slew Rate Limiter in AcqKnowledge

This video demonstrates the AcqKnowledge Slew Rate Limiter functionality. The Slew Rate Limiter limits the maximum rate of signal amplitude change over a user defined time period. It can be helpful in removing higher frequency and higher amplitude artifacts from a waveform without distorting the original signal. BIOPAC MRI Solutions.

User Interface Features in AcqKnowledge 4.3

BIOPAC has added a variety of exciting new user interface features to AcqKnowledge. This video provides a brief overview and examples of some of these great new features including: Tabbed Window Display, Textual Value Toolbar, Selection Palette enhancements, Linked Selections, Autoscale Single Waveform, configure number of horizontal Measurements, remove Annotations from a single channel, Journal docking location preference, and more! For a complete list of new features visit the BIOPAC website or contact us today. AcqKnowledge Data Acquisition & Analysis Software

Worflow Automation

Workflow provides user-friendly, high-level automation for efficient, consistent processing.  Automate and customize analysis and batch processing for all of your data without having to use scripting. To learn more about this advancement in data analysis automation, see Workflow Automation License (pdf), watch Automate AcqKnowledge with New Workflow Tool on demand, or see available products: MP160 Systems with WorkflowMP36R Systems with Workflow; or Workflow Automation Licenses for Windows or macOS.