PsyLab (CPI, Contact Precision Instrument, London), is a PC-based modular system for measuring a variety of physiological variables (for example EEG, EMG, EKG, Heart Rate, Skin Conductance, Respiration, Sexual Response etc.) PsyLab consists of software and hardware for measuring and processing physiological data. The hardware of PsyLab consists of a set of sensors and amplifier modules connected via an interface to an IBM compatible PC. Data is collected from different sensors and fed into the signal processing modules. The output of these modules can, in turn, be fed into other modules or, through a port in the interface, directly into the computer. The software of PsyLab contains high level commands contains high level commands from which desired data collection and processing programs can be developed. The whole system is run by simple programs, much like the BASIC programming language, which the operator himself can write. The software controls the data collection and can, at the same time, display the physiological variables graphically. Collected data can also be processed by the computer. The purpose of this part of the project was to put the measurement system into operation and write a document, about the system, which will be more easily comprehensible than those already available. Parts of the report are intended to be used as a user instruction for PsyLab. The report includes a description of the hardware and software of PsyLab. In this case, the system is being used in an experiment intended to illustrate a general application. The system is equipped to measure the Skin Conductance and Heart Rate of a subject. The software is adapted to measure a person's reactions to sound. Skin Conductance and Heart Rate are measured to form a picture of the instaneous work load the test person is experiencing while performing a task. Measuring human mental work load through physiological variables is a good complement to other possible measurements, for example questionnaires. (A)
Abstract