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ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Hello all,
I am attaching the first public release of a new version of the ThoughtStream software. This is the Windows version. A Mac version is in testing and will follow in a few days.
This goal of this version is to better mirror the display of the ThoughtStream console and provide feedback on session progression. Used properly it should help you really to understand what the TS is displaying and what the various levels 'mean'. Also it is high time that ThoughtStream owners with Macs get some love.
Note: this is Beta software. There will be bugs and it doesn't have a great deal of 'protections' built in for various things that can fool it. By testing this software you acknowledge that it is a work in progress and agree to be forgiving of things I overlooked. Also, you must report experiences, bugs, and general feedback.
I sit on things for a long time because I am a damnable perfectionist. But I'm trying to overcome that and release early and often, and let the chips fall where they may. I hope people will show interest because it is a helluva lot of work. Still, I love it. (most of the time :) )
It has only been tested by me at this point and mainly on Windows 7.
There is a PDF Quickstart and Installation notes included in the archive.
** NOTE ** You must have the SiLabs driver installed for this software to work. The SiLabs Driver is included in the TS Monitor ZIP file below.
Enjoy and speak up!
Scott
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
What a nice Christmas Present! :-)
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Ha, the software is kind of in Christmas colors too!
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
BTW, this only works with the USB version. The serial one has quite a bit of a different format. If you want the serial version then let me know.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
It's just great !!!!!!! :banana::hello2::eusa_clap: I am very very grateful. You cured my bad mood. Great gift for the New Year. There are several issues - whether that be the starting line chart went to the left (invisible area) when the schedule right border? During long sessions, I think you need it - because now the graph over time strongly compressed and status monitoring in real time is a hindrance And then you can see the entire schedule to save the video. The second question - is it possible to change the color of the line graphics on black?
And the third question - when loading a saved session, the top window - all right, but is it possible to lower the window to make more detailed - I'd like to see as it was in session?
I repeat once again you've done a great job. I'm really grateful to you.
Forgive me for my stupid questions possible in another topic.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Quote:
Originally Posted by
krosskin
There are several issues - whether that be the starting line chart went to the left (invisible area) when the schedule right border?
Do you mean put the chart and the status display side by side? And have the status display vertical like on the ThoughtStream console? If so, maybe. It wouldn't be too hard to do. Just rearrange the elements. It may or may not be an improvement.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
krosskin
The second question - is it possible to change the color of the line graphics on black?
Technically, it wouldn't be too hard to make the color scheme completely user selectable. All the colors are generated by code.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
krosskin
During long sessions, I think you need it - because now the graph over time strongly compressed and status monitoring in real time is a hindrance And then you can see the entire schedule to save the video.
You don't have to view all the data in long sessions. Under Advanced Settings you can set the number of samples shown to whatever you want. The Quickstart file explains this. You probably figured this out.
The only problem with that is you can't revert back to see the whole session. I am working more on loading sessions back in after recording to view them in several ways. You can see the beginning of this under the View menu - Load and Display Session.
I think that addresses your third question.. and those features will be expanded in future versions.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
I think that the difficulties of translation from English into Russian and back. I just do not know English very well so I use Google translation here and there probably inaccurate translation. I also have not yet translated the instructions mk there is a problem with the pdf and Google translator. I meant that there was a function - that would line chart does not compress over time and slowly went to the left in an invisible zone when the right-hand side of the boundary line. And of course that would then this can be seen in the saved file (probably by increasing or decreasing scale for very long sessions). Once again, sorry for the inaccuracy of the translation
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
The translation is usually really good. I can understand what you mean to say most of the time. Here are the instructions as an html file http://mindplace.clarify-it.com/d/pfl4xc Google translator can probably read that better.
Click the arrow button next to the text Advanced Settings. New controls will become available. Select the button next to 'Display the last' and put 600 in the text box. This will show you the last 1 minute of data. You can change that number to whatever you want. If you put 3000 in the box you would get that last 5 minutes. The math is 10 * number of seconds or 10 * (60 * number of minutes) . I think this will get you what you want to see.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Thank you for your help. I'm going to deal with this.
I would also like to ask - is it possible to expect in the future versions of the Android OS?
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Hey Scott;
When you use the advanced settings to change to "Display the last xxx samples" maybe you could have the graph scroll horizontally instead of delete the points on the left. Adding a selection to "Display the last xxx minutes" would then allow for a certain number of minutes/seconds to be "1 screen" of data (or the sample to time calculation could be just shown instead of another selection). Done that way, you can see all the data when you stop by scrolling back and forth. What do you think?
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
At some point performance and memory will become a consideration. Over a long session there would be tens of thousands of data points. Most aren't very useful to display. The overall curve and trend is what is useful. I'm thinking of ways of doing smart filtering and zooming could be one way to do that.
The spreadsheet data table that I will use to load and compare sessions should have some kind of 'dynamic' frame where it only loads one page of the current view and maybe one above and one below. So it is a similar concept. The graph and the temp file on disk are the storage places right now but I could create buffers that fill up when called upon.
It can get rather complex really. It just depends on what is most useful. I also plan to store sessions in a database and tie in with our other software, like the KBS editor, so that you can compare the result of a light and sound session with the biofeedback readings generated.
I wonder what is the average length of most user sessions? Probably similar to light and sound from 15 minutes to 45 minutes. Anonymous statistics would be helpful to learn this.
Anyway, I am open to ideas and suggestions. We'll evolve the software over time.
An Android version is a real possibility. I already have read TS data on my Android tablet. And I know of a graphing framework that seems not too hard to implement. It's good to have this desktop app out so that people can try it and give feedback so we learn what is most needed.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Quote:
Originally Posted by
neuroasis
At some point performance and memory will become a consideration. Over a long session there would be tens of thousands of data points.
At least in Windows, there's nothing to concern yourself with there. Even if you got into the 10's of billions of data points, Window's memory management will take care of it without any noticeable delay. Consider this - the sample rate is extremely slow when compared to audio or video capture, which can easily be done on any modern computer.
Quote:
Most aren't very useful to display. The overall curve and trend is what is useful. I'm thinking of ways of doing smart filtering and zooming could be one way to do that.
You really should be capturing everything then allowing the user to choose how to display it. If you truncate the data when it's being captured, you can't get it back afterwards. Perhaps someone wants to zoom in on a specific few seconds of data. No reason to not capture it all and then manipulate the display to show it however you feel.
Just my 2 cents... :o
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
The performance costs come in the loading of the file from disk into the data grid. Try a long session now it takes tens of seconds for around 30 minutes of data. Not too bad really. I am mainly running on a VM too.
The data would still be on disk, I wouldn't truncate it on capture, just the display altered (maybe) so the graph and grid are more responsive. Like finding min and max points and spanning them, basically display smoothing. Anyway, that is an idea of how to approach it. As you say the size never compares to audio or video files but they are also handled differently whereas the software and codecs are optimized.
I want to implement some kind of 'marker' system, where regions of interest or events can be notated. This would help with navigation and identifying the key events of a session. Metrics are really of interest as well. Like how long did it take you to reach each level.. what is your fastest? average? last month? last year? That is what a database is good for.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Sounds ideal.
I'm curious why it would take so long to load, though. If this becomes an issue it might be worth looking at how data is stored and loaded (but again, only if it becomes a problem).
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Mainly because it is set to 'just do it' at the moment without any optimization.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Very strange - why so few software downloads? I would like to hear more reviews
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Yesterday I could not test the program in detail, but I did it today - and I repeat it's great. It's beyond my expectations. How do you think what settings to use for my purposes?
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
The ThoughtStream crowd is usually pretty quiet. Hopefully with renewed releases that will all change.
For ideomotor use you will want a very small window to view the data. I would say do a session at the default settings until you relax and progress down a couple of levels at least. Then you can change the number of samples to 1000 (you can change it while the session is still playing) then start to ask yourself questions. Start with 'show me yes' then 'show me no' then 'show me I don't know'... do this a number of times until you feel like that you have a good idea of how those answers are being represented on the graph. I have been working with this more and I get some results.
What I plan to do is build a gauge type of graph for the purpose of ideomotor communication. Or at least something more specialized for this use. I think using biofeedback this way is very interesting.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Is it possible to call the signals received TS ideomotor? I think it's close but still not quite ideomotor signals (maybe I'm wrong). By the way, I last week with the help of TS and the official version of program's won the lottery about $ 120 (guessing the number 4 of 6). I still wanted to ask - you have written that you have a version for Android OS if you can put it to the test?
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
It is accurate to say that galvanic skin response signals are ideomotor in the way it is at least described at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideomotor_phenomenon They classify 'tears' as part of the ideomotor phenomenon, so I would say 'sweating' would qualify. Pretty cool that you won some extra money. That helped pay for the ThoughtStream and made it worth your investment.
An Android version will take a while. I have never built a full app for that platform. I want to but I have no idea how long it would take.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Hello. Happy new year. Today I repaired my netbook (screen size 10 inches), and download it. It turns out very small window graphics as possible to do something that would be like the old version of the window can be done in almost the entire screen?
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
It looks like there's a small bug with the Window resizing. The "Maximize" control in the top right of the top window frame is greyed out, so double-clicking the top window frame does not maximize the window as it normally would.
You can however resize the window by dragging the edges until it's whatever size you want. Maybe Scott will be able to enable the Maximize/Restore control so it's easier to go full-screen with the window.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Ahh, I see that I forgot to turn on the Maximize button on the window. For now, you can drag the edges of the window to make it as large as you need. The buttons and indicators don't center yet. I will fix all that in the next build.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
I do not understand - how to drag and drop ...? I'll try .... and nothing happened
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Hello. I want to know whether it is possible to add to the function of the color (spectral) chart? Around here as in the screenshot
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
A spectrogram is not really a useful display for biofeedback data. There is no spectrum really as there is really only a single reading at a point in time. A spectrogram is useful to visualize a band of complex signals where the color represents the relative power of the signal. Make sense?
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
I think that with such a graphics easier to track spikes. At least when I started to use this program for EEG device has become much easier to see even the slightest deviation. I want to try to use two devices at the same time with the same within the meaning of the graphs (spectrum).
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
You must understand that they are mapping different things. Like for instance a pie chart is easy to read but it has no meaning on something like a biofeedback display. (or it doesn't have meaning unless you are comparing the current reading to some past reading or a time measure or something) Anyway, what I am trying to say is that a spectral display is not the right tool for the job. There is no spectrum. It is a single data point at a certain time.
EEGs are displaying multiple values across a spectrum and the color is showing the relative power of that band.
I have a bunch of other chart types that I will play with in upcoming versions.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
the device EEG that I've got the simplest that uses only 1 channel. Just pretty hard to track down the smallest peaks changes with a simple graph. A screenshot of the chart which I showed a small change gives a color change. The bright spot on a dark background. Perhaps I'm not quite correctly written - maybe it's not the spectrum. But it would be very good if the minimum deviation peaks in any way is - color or sound. For example, if within 1 minute chart peaks have even the minimum fixed by the top red
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectrogram There is no 3rd dimension in biofeedback data. That is what the color on a spectrogram is showing. It is showing amplitude. The horizontal is time, the vertical is frequency.
The best you could do to approximate this is to have a straight line and assign a color to a point in that line based on the relative level of the signal. Red for high, Green for low as an example. But this is not a good way to represent the data. We get more of a sense of the movement of the reading by using a vertical axis, ie higher or lower. Then we can see the shape of the changing readings.
Anyway, that is my understanding but I'll play with it.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
I do not quite understand. You will do what is what I wrote? And another question - when you make about an update? But in general, I am very grateful to you - the program works fine.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
I forgot to add that it would be good when such deviations peaks designated still sound in a low signal. This would be useful when the relaxation process with eyes closed
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
what do you think the function of viewing the graph is better to choose for my purpose - conductivity, data, resistance
or change.?
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When you are watching the graph, I think Percent Change is by far the most useful. It is what the display on the ThoughtStream is showing and also tracks downward which is more intuitive. Relax... graph goes down. The other measures are really only useful from a scientific perspective. However, in new builds you will be able to load saved sessions and view them in whatever parameter you want.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Hello. Can you tell us about when will update?
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
It is a balancing act between software products now. I intend that each one will see small more frequent updates rather than huge reinvention releases. The new Kasina editor release will come first within days and then I will focus more attention on ThoughtStream changes. Within this month you will see another release.
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Quote:
Originally Posted by
neuroasis
Within this month you will see another release.
really looking forward to updates
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
Hello. I wanted to ask - can you make a version for the Android platform?
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Re: ThoughtStream Monitor Windows Beta Software
I've toyed around with Android tablets connected by USB and have had some basic graphs working. Not all phones or tablets support OTG mode which is required. No iOS device does. You have to pay Apple massive amounts of money for the privelege.
I did some research and the development platform that I was using at that time has evolved a lot. So, it may be worth revisiting. I could not estimate how long it would take though as I would be learning while doing.