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Running a Session Single User

For running with multiple users see "Running a Session with Multi User"

SightLabVR.py is for running a session using the GUI interface. If you do not want to use the GUI and want to use code set gui = False in the code. You can also use sightlab = sl.SightLab(configpath = 'sightlab_configs/YourConfigFile.stlb') to run a session in "participant mode", where there are no options to modify the experiment. For running blocks of trials see this page. 

Before running a session you may want to calibrate if using an eye tracked headset. This varies depending on the hardware being used. See the Supported Hardware page for more information. 

* Choose hardware from various eye tracked headsets, desktop mode or non-eye tracked headsets (head position will be used for analytics of non-eyetracked headsets)

If running with the GUI you can edit options if necessary, or if running as an executable or as a participant you will just choose your hardware and click "Continue"

Running the Session

  • Enter name and subject ID. The subject ID is used for naming the data files (do not use an underscore in the ID, as this will come up with an error in the replay mode, or you will not see the file to select in the Session Replay)

  • Note that if you do not enter a participant ID date and time will be used

  • Press spacebar to start recording eye tracking data and view real time fixations (unless this is changed to another key or event)

  • Use the ‘P’ key to toggle the gazepoint on and off for the participant. It is always on for the mirrored view.

  • Navigation: 

    • For SteamVR based headsets use RH Trackpad to teleport and LH Trackpad for smooth locomotion. LH grip to rotate left and RH grip to rotate right.
    • For Oculus use RH thumbstick to teleport and LH Stick while holding the RH 'B' button for smooth locomotion
    • These can be changed if needed using vizconnect
    • See "Controls" page for more information on controls
    • Press spacebar to end or advance to next trial, unless using a timer or another event
    • At this point data files will be saved to the data folder
    • Press continue key or wait for event again to start a new trial, or escape to exit
    • Once “Experiment Complete” text appears Sightlab has reached the end of the last trial

After you quit, you'll see data files will be saved in the "data" folder

Note that for the Demo version there is a 5 minute time limit on execution. The full version allows as many data files as you want and no time limit. 

Trial_data  shows a timestamp along with the x,y,z coordinates of the gaze intersect (combined and individual eye), eye euler, head position (6DOF), Fixation/Saccade status, saccade amplitude, velocity, average amplitude, peak velocity, pupil diameter, eye openness (if you are using a headset that tracks those), and custom flags. See documentation on how you can add more items to this file

Experiment Summary - Shows a summary of the view count, fixation count, dwell time, average view time, per trial saccade calculations, time to first fixation, as well as any additional data that you want to summarize per trial. See documentation on how to add more data. 

Trial Timeline - Shows a timeline of when objects were viewed, for how long, and how many fixations there were per object

Run the Session Replay to view analytics such as heatmaps, scan paths, dwell time, user interactions and more. Use spacebar to start and stop replay. Can be viewed either on the Desktop or in a headset. See the Session Replay page in the documentation for more information. 

Screen Recordings -  If "Screen Record" is checked, screen recordings will be saved to a new folder "recordings". It is suggested to install the moviepy python library via the Package Manager to compress the video recordings, as these come in uncompressed by default. The video recordings can also be brought into Biopac Acqknowledge synchronized with the physiological recording if using Biopac. See the Biopac page for more information. 

There is also a config.json file that saves your experiment settings, as well as .rply files in the replay_data folder, that is used for the session replay.