Stimulus and Status Screens
In this article:
EventIDE supports dual-monitor configurations, allowing the experimenter to separate the stimulus presentation from runtime monitoring and control. In such setups, the Stimulus Screen is used to present stimuli to participants, while the Status Screen displays runtime feedback and controls for the experimenter.
To utilize both screens during an experiment, connect a second monitor to the computer and ensure that Windows is set to Extended Desktop mode. If this option is not available, consider updating your graphics card drivers.
Assigning Stimulus and Status Monitors
Monitor settings are configured in the Screens ribbon tab:
Click Monitors & Mode to open the Display Settings window.
Select the desired monitors for stimulus and status screens.
Define the stimulus monitor’s physical metrics, such as viewing distance and screen diagonal (in cm). These parameters enable accurate conversion from pixel units to visual degrees.
Choose a display mode for the stimulus monitor by selecting a predefined resolution or entering custom pixel dimensions and refresh rate.
Tip: Configure display settings before adding visual elements to avoid repositioning stimuli after changing the resolution.
Designing Stimulus Screen
The stimulus screen displays the Event Surface of each event during runtime. To preview and modify the event surfaces, navigate to the Event ribbon tab. Switch between events to view their corresponding stimulus content.
For details on building and configuring visual stimuli, refer to the sections Adding Stimulus Materials and Setting Up Stimulus Presentation.
Designing Status Screen
The status screen provides the experimenter with real-time information during an experiment. It can display copies of stimulus content, real-time metrics, tracker outputs, and even interactive controls to adjust experiment parameters.
Status screen content can be created in two ways:
Using prebuilt widgets
Using custom XAML code
Designing Status Screen with Widgets
Many EventIDE elements include built-in widgets that can be rendered on the status screen. Notable examples include:
Element | Description |
Radar Monitor | Displays a live radar view of the tracker’s position over a replica of the stimulus screen, with AOI overlays. |
Dashboard | Creates an interactive GUI dashboard for adjusting global and proxy variables in real time. |
Webcam OpenCV | Captures webcam video in the background using OpenCV and optionally renders the feed on the status screen. |
PupilLabs Camera Recorder | Records from a selected PupilLabs camera and displays fiducial surfaces when available. |
Tobii Glasses 3 Camera Recorder | Records a synchronized video feed from Tobii Glasses 3 and can render it during runtime. |
Chart | Renders real-time plots of experimental data using different chart types, with optional summary statistics. |
Tracking Monitor | Plots real-time visualization of gaze velocity. |
Saccade Detector | Detects saccades and visualizes fixation states and velocities in real time. |
Fixation Detector | Detects fixations and displays gaze dynamics live. |
Velocity Threshold Estimator | Calculates the saccade threshold from live gaze data and signal noise. |
Adding and Configuring Widgets
To design the status screen with widgets:
Go to the Screens ribbon tab and select a layout (e.g., 2×2 grid or empty grid).
The Status Screen Designer window opens, displaying the layout grid and settings panel.
Configure the layout: set number of rows/columns, background color, cell margins, resizability, and shadows.
Click a cell to add a widget from the list of available options.
Once widgets are added, EventIDE automatically generates the corresponding XAML code in the Status Screen snippet, which can be further customized if needed.
Designing Status Screen with Coding
Alternatively, the status screen can be fully defined using XAML in the Status Screen snippet. This method offers greater flexibility for creating complex layouts, dynamic content, and advanced visualizations.
Variables such as reaction time, trial number, or condition labels can be bound to graphical or textual XAML elements for live display.
Below is a simplified example of XAML code for a custom status screen:
<StackPanel Orientation="Vertical" Margin="20">
<TextBlock Text="Current Trial Info" FontSize="18" FontWeight="Bold"/>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding RT}" FontSize="14"/>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding BlockNumber}" FontSize="14"/>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding ConditionLabel}" FontSize="14"/>
</StackPanel>This approach is suitable for advanced users who require complete control over the status screen layout and interaction logic.
In summary, the Stimulus and Status Screens feature in EventIDE enables powerful dual-monitor experimental workflows—allowing stimuli to be presented cleanly to participants, while experimenters monitor progress, adjust settings, and visualize real-time data without disrupting the experimental flow.