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1.
I
am interested in purchasing a DS5 stimulator, but I am not sure
how I would control it, can you help?
The
DS5 has been designed to be as versatile as possible and therefore
it should be compatible with most D/A hardware and software.
The DS5 merely requires an analogue input of ±1, ±2.5, ±5 or
±10V at the BNC socket on the rear to provide the waveform which
describes the stimulus. However, the user should note that
they will need to source or write software that allows them to
define the characteristics of the waveform.
2.
Is
it possible to control the settings of the DS5, such as output
ranges via remote devices/software?
At
this time, the DS5 is not able to have adjustments made to its
setting by any other method than the front panel controls.
We are developing software that will allow this to be possible,
but we do not have a release date for this yet.
3.
I
see that the DS5 is limited to 50mA, is there the possibility to
modify it for a higher output current?
No,
after taking advice from collaborators we decided that a ±50mA
limit was adequate for most cases, however, it is possible to link
two DS5's together in parallel to increase the overall stimulus
output.
4.
I am
currently using the DS5 but have found it difficult to re-enable
the output after auto-zeroing and sometimes have to attempt this
several times, is there a problem with my stimulator?
It
is likely that the failure to re-enable the output is accompanied
by a warning icon which indicates that re-enabling would result in
DC stimulation. If this is the case, then the cause is
almost certainly due to (i) a voltage waveform still being applied
at the voltage input during the auto-zeroing procedure or (ii)
noise being picked up through the input socket. For safety
reasons, the DS5 will not re-enable if a significant stimulus
current would immediately result. 5.
I
see there is a USB socket on the back of the DS5, what is this for? This
socket served two purposes - (i) It will be utilized to allow the
operator to upgrade the firmware of the DS5 in the future and (ii)
it will provide the communication link to control the DS5 settings
from PC software. These functions will be implemented at a
later date.
6.
What is
the minimum interval between stimulation "pulses" using
the DS5? The
DS5 will identify the end point on a stimulation pulse as the
stimulus current value falling to within ±400µA for a minimum
period of 200µs or a sustained reversal of stimulus polarity
(irrespective of the current amplitude). Therefore if you
intend to carry out repetitive stimulation pulses of the same
polarity, there needs to be a 200µs gap between them. If
the pulses are of alternating polarity, there is no requirement
for an interval (e.g as in a sine wave).
7.
I switched on my DS5 and started using it, but found that the
baseline output drifted considerably for the first 30 minutes,
even though the voltage input was zero. Why is this? As
with many electronic instruments, certain components within the
DS5 make it important that the stimulator is switched ON and
"warmed up" for at least an hour before it is used with
a subject.
8.
I am considering using the DS5 for some studies of rodent nerve
excitability. Is the DS5 suitable for this? The
DS5 is designed for use with human nerves in vivo and as such the
sort of currents it generates are in the mA range. Even when
the output of the DS5 has been recently autozeroed, some small
leak currents (in the µA range) can persist and while these would
be insignificant for human studies, they may be unwelcome in the
rodent equivalent. Instead, we would recommend our NEW
DS4 stimulator for such non-human research studies.
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