NAUTILUS WATER MAZE PLATFORM ACT-204A Roosevelt Street Whitehall, PA PHONE: (610) FAX: (610)

Transcription

1 NAUTILUS WATER MAZE PLATFORM ACT-204A 5583 Roosevelt Street Whitehall, PA PHONE: (610) FAX: (610)

2 INSTALLATION The ACT-204A Nautilus Platform includes: The Nautilus Platform The Nautilus Plarform Controller 15-Pin Male-to-Male DSub Cable Power Supply Tubing The Nautilus Water Maze Platform (ACT-204A) requires the Nautilus Platform Interface (ACT- 205), and the Nautilus Interface Card (ACT-675). The Nautilus Platform can be manually operated or, controlled automatically with the Actimetrics WaterMaze System. Follow the manufacturer s instructions for installing the ACT-675 PCI interface Card in the computer. The WaterMaze system requires either an ACT-610 Multi-channel PCI Image Acquisition Interface Card with an ACT-700 Breakout Box or an ACT-655 PCI Image Acquisition Card so the computer must have two PCI slots to use the Nautilus Platform with the WaterMaze system. Before connecting the Nautilus Platform to the computer be sure the computer is off and the switch on the Nautilus Platform Controller that was included with the Nautilus Platform (ACT- 204A) is powered off. Connect one black tube to the upper connector on the Nautilus Platform. Connect the other end of the tube to the Nautilus Platform Controller labeled UPPER. The connector on the tube must be aligned with the connectors on the platform and the Nautilus Platform Controller. Once aligned, turn the connector clockwise about 0.1 inch. DO NOT force the connectors. In the same manner, connect the other tube to the bottom connector of the platform and to the Nautilus Platform Controller connector labeled LOWER. Now connect the external power supply included with the ACT-204A to the Nautilus Platform Controller plug the AC power cable into an outlet. Connect the 15-Pin cable to the rear connector of the Nautilus Platform Controller connector labeled Nautilus. The other end of the 15-Pin cable is connected to the 15 Pin connector on the ACT-205 Nautilus Platform Interface. Connect the ribbon cable from the ACT-205 Nautilus Platform Interface to the ACT-675 Nautilus Interface Card installed in the computer. NAUTILUS PLATFORM INTERFACE (ACT-205) 2

3 The block diagram in Figure 1 depicts the connections described previously. the Nautilus Water Maze Platform. CAMERA Nautilus Platform CYLINDER CONTROL LINES UPPER LOWER Nautilus Platform Controller ACT-655 ACT Pin Male-to Male DSUB Cable FIGURE 1 ACT-205 Nautilus Interface Ribbon Cable of ACT-205 Be sure that all of the power switches are OFF before connecting to AC voltage source. * If using the ACT-610 multi-channel PCI image acquisition card the video camera cable will connect to the ACT- 700 breakout box which is connected to the ACT-610 multi-channel PCI image acquisition card. SETTING THE PLATFORM RISE TIME The Nautilus platform will change from its resting state to its risen state in about 1.3 seconds when the default rise time is set. In order to increase the rise time to either 1.6 seconds or 2.0 seconds, press the platform button followed by the select button (center on the navigational switch). The display will read RISETIME: X.Y where X.Y is equal to the current setting for rise time. While in this menu press up to cycle upwards through the 3 values, press down to cycle downwards through these values. When the rise time is at the desired value, press select to confirm the value. MANAUL OPERATION OF PUMP AND PLATFORM The Nautilus pump and platform can be controlled directly from the unit s front panel. To manually operate the pump, press the platform button, then the pump button. Doing this will toggle the current state of the pump, without changing the state of the platform. To raise the 3

4 platform, press the platform button, then up on the navigational switch. To lower the platform, press the platform button, then down on the navigational switch. Changing the state of the platform will cause the pump to begin running regardless of what state it was in before the platform was moved. The pump can be manually turned off once the platform has finished changing position, or it can be allowed to pressurize the system to its full 28 PSI. TESTING THE NAUTILUS PLATFORM Make sure the power switch on the Nautilus Power Supply is in the off position. Start the WaterMaze program. Select the Project menu and choose the Open option. Enter a project name in the File Name: box and click the OK button. Now select the Settings menu in WaterMaze and choose the Switches option. The window in Figure 2 will appear. FIGURE 2 Power on the Nautilus Platform Power Supply. After a few seconds the platform will rise. Now click on the Green button at Channel 1 (Pin 47) as indicated in Figure 3. This will activate the motor in the Nautilus Power Supply. FIGURE 3 4

5 To lower the platform click on the green button at channel 7 (See Figure 4). FIGURE 4 To raise the platform again click on Channel 7 (Pin 35) so the green button is off (Refer to Figure 3). You can continue to raise and lower the platform by activating the channel 7 (Pin 35) button to lower the platform and turning the channel 7 button off to raise the platform. To turn off the motor click on the Channel 1 (Pin 47) button (Refer to Figure 2). To exit the Nautilus test procedure click the OK button to return to the WaterMaze program. SETTING UP THE PLATFORM FOR AN EXPERIMENT Prior to setting up the Nautilus Platform for an experiment, be sure that the pool settings have been entered (Refer to the WaterMaze manual). Select the Design menu and then choose Platforms. In the Platforms box on the right of the display, click in the Present box to place an X in the box (if an X already appears in this box you do not need to click it). Another box, titled, Atlantis will appear and again, click on this box to place an X in the box unless an X is already present. In the Markers box on the left side of the window, click on the Pool button to display the pool. Set the diameter of the platform by increasing or decreasing the value in the diam box. This will identify the boundaries of the area the subject must reach to meet the location criteria. To place the platform in the correct area of the pool, click in the platform circle depicted in the pool and drag the circle to the location of the platform. In the Atlantis box, set the trigger diameter to indicate the portion of the subject that must be within the boundary to meet the location criteria. The Dwell Time is set to the amount of time the subject must be within criteria before the platform will rise. You can also set a maximum amount of time that the subject will be allowed to reach the platform before the platform will rise in the Rise After box. The trigger line must be set to 1. 5

6 Provide a name for these settings and then choose Save & Exit from the File menu. You can save up to 29 different settings for a WaterMaze Platform. It is not necessary that all of the settings be of the same type of platform. You can store settings for the Nautilus Platform as well as a standard platform within the same project. Be sure the platform is in the down position prior to starting a session. If the platform is in the up position, refer to the Testing Nautilus Platform section of this manual for lowering the platform. Figure 5 6