Stimuli changes with every frame being displayed. - psychopy

Question

I have a bit of code (displayed below) that is supposed to display the stimulus for 10 frames. We need pretty exact display times, so using number of frames is a must instead of core.wait(xx) as the display time won't be as precise.
Instead of drawing the stimuli, and leaving it for another 9 frames - the stimuli is re-drawn for every frame.
# Import what is needed
import numpy as np
from psychopy import visual, event, core, logging
from math import sin, cos
import random, math
win = visual.Window(size=(1366, 768), fullscr=True, screen=0, allowGUI=False, allowStencil=False,
monitor='testMonitor', color=[0,0,0], colorSpace='rgb',
blendMode='avg', useFBO=True,
units='deg')
### Definitions of libraries
'''Parameters :
numpy - python package of numerical computations
visual - where all visual stimulus live
event - code to deal with mouse + keyboard input
core - general function for timing & closing the program
logging - provides function for logging error and other messages to one file
random - options for creating arrays of random numbers
sin & cos - for geometry and trigonometry
math - mathematical operations '''
# this is supposed to record all frames
win.setRecordFrameIntervals(True)
win._refreshThreshold=1/65.0+0.004 #i've got 65Hz monitor and want to allow 4ms tolerance
#set the log module to report warnings to the std output window (default is errors only)
logging.console.setLevel(logging.WARNING)
nIntervals=5
# Create space variables and a window
lineSpaceX = 0.55
lineSpaceY = 0.55
patch_orientation = 45 # zero is vertical, going anti-clockwise
surround_orientation = 90
#Jitter values
g_posJitter = 0.05 #gaussian positional jitter
r_posJitter = 0.05 #random positional jitter
g_oriJitter = 5 #gaussian orientation jitter
r_oriJitter = 5 #random orientation jitter
#create a 1-Dimentional array
line = np.array(range(38)) #with values from (0-37) #possibly not needed 01/04/16 DK
#Region where the rectangular patch would appear
#x_rand=random.randint(1,22) #random.randint(Return random integers from low (inclusive) to high (exclusive).
#y_rand=random.randint(1,25)
x_rand=random.randint(6,13) #random.randint(Return random integers from low (inclusive) to high (inclusive).
y_rand=random.randint(6,16)
#rectangular patch dimensions
width=15
height=12
message = visual.TextStim(win,pos=(0.0,-12.0),text='...Press SPACE to continue...')
fixation = visual.TextStim(win, pos=(0.0,0.0), text='X')
# Initialize clock to record response time
rt_clock = core.Clock()
#Nested loop to draw anti-aliased lines on grid
#create a function for this
def myStim():
for x in xrange(1,33): #32x32 grid. When x is 33 will not execute loop - will stop
for y in xrange(1,33): #When y is 33 will not execute loop - will stop
##Define x & y value (Gaussian distribution-positional jitter)
x_pos = (x-32/2-1/2 )*lineSpaceX + random.gauss(0,g_posJitter) #random.gauss(mean,s.d); -1/2 is to center even-numbered stimuli; 32x32 grid
y_pos = (y-32/2-1/2 )*lineSpaceY + random.gauss(0,g_posJitter)
if (x >= x_rand and x < x_rand+width) and (y >= y_rand and y < y_rand+height): # note only "=" on one side
Line_Orientation = random.gauss(patch_orientation,g_oriJitter) #random.gauss(mean,s.d) - Gaussian func.
else:
Line_Orientation = random.gauss(surround_orientation,g_oriJitter) #random.gauss(mean,s.d) - Gaussian func.
#Line_Orientation = random.gauss(Line_Orientation,g_oriJitter) #random.gauss(mean,s.d) - Gaussian func.
#stimOri = random.uniform(xOri - r_oriJitter, xOri + r_oriJitter) #random.uniform(A,B) - Uniform func.
visual.Line(win, units = "deg", start=(0,0), end=(0.0,0.35), pos=(x_pos,y_pos), ori=Line_Orientation, autoLog=False).draw() #Gaussian func.
for frameN in range (10):
myStim()
win.flip()
print x_rand, y_rand
print keys, rt #display response and reaction time on screen output window
I have tried to use the following code to keep it displayed (by not clearing the buffer). But it just draws over it several times.
for frameN in range(10):
myStim()
win.flip(clearBuffer=False)
I realize that the problem could be because I have .draw() in the function that I have defined def myStim():. However, if I don't include the .draw() within the function - I won't be able to display the stimuli.
Thanks in advance for any help.

Answer 1

If I understand correctly, the problem you are facing is that you have to re-draw the stimulus on every flip, but your current drawing function also recreates the entire (random) stimulus, so:
the stimulus changes on each draw between flips, although you need it to stay constant, and
you get a (on some systems quite massive) performance penalty by re-creating the entire stimulus over and over again.
What you want instead is: create the stimulus once, in its entirety, before presentation; and then have this pre-generated stimulus drawn on every flip.
Since your stimulus consists of a fairly large number of visual elements, I would suggest using a class to store the stimulus in one place.
Essentially, you would replace your myStim() function with this class (note that I stripped out most comments, re-aligned the code a bit, and simplified the if statement):
class MyStim(object):
def __init__(self):
self.lines = []
for x in xrange(1, 33):
for y in xrange(1, 33):
x_pos = ((x - 32 / 2 - 1 / 2) * lineSpaceX +
random.gauss(0, g_posJitter))
y_pos = ((y - 32 / 2 - 1 / 2) * lineSpaceY +
random.gauss(0, g_posJitter))
if ((x_rand <= x < x_rand + width) and
(y_rand <= y < y_rand + height)):
Line_Orientation = random.gauss(patch_orientation,
g_oriJitter)
else:
Line_Orientation = random.gauss(surround_orientation,
g_oriJitter)
current_line = visual.Line(
win, units="deg", start=(0, 0), end=(0.0, 0.35),
pos=(x_pos, y_pos), ori=Line_Orientation,
autoLog=False
)
self.lines.append(current_line)
def draw(self):
[line.draw() for line in self.lines]
What this code does on instantiation is in principle identical to your myStim() function: it creates a set of (random) lines. But instead of drawing them onto the screen right away, they are all collected in the list self.lines, and will remain there until we actually need them.
The draw() method traverses through this list, element by element (that is, line by line), and calls every line's draw() method. Note that the stimuli do not have to be re-created every time we want to draw the whole set, but instead we just draw the already pre-created lines!
To get this working in practice, you first need to instantiate the MyStim class:
myStim = MyStim()
Then, whenever you want to present the stimulus, all you have to do is
myStim.draw()
win.flip()
Here is the entire, modified code that should get you started:
import numpy as np
from psychopy import visual, event, core, logging
from math import sin, cos
import random, math
win = visual.Window(size=(1366, 768), fullscr=True, screen=0, allowGUI=False, allowStencil=False,
monitor='testMonitor', color=[0,0,0], colorSpace='rgb',
blendMode='avg', useFBO=True,
units='deg')
# this is supposed to record all frames
win.setRecordFrameIntervals(True)
win._refreshThreshold=1/65.0+0.004 #i've got 65Hz monitor and want to allow 4ms tolerance
#set the log module to report warnings to the std output window (default is errors only)
logging.console.setLevel(logging.WARNING)
nIntervals=5
# Create space variables and a window
lineSpaceX = 0.55
lineSpaceY = 0.55
patch_orientation = 45 # zero is vertical, going anti-clockwise
surround_orientation = 90
#Jitter values
g_posJitter = 0.05 #gaussian positional jitter
r_posJitter = 0.05 #random positional jitter
g_oriJitter = 5 #gaussian orientation jitter
r_oriJitter = 5 #random orientation jitter
x_rand=random.randint(6,13) #random.randint(Return random integers from low (inclusive) to high (inclusive).
y_rand=random.randint(6,16)
#rectangular patch dimensions
width=15
height=12
message = visual.TextStim(win,pos=(0.0,-12.0),text='...Press SPACE to continue...')
fixation = visual.TextStim(win, pos=(0.0,0.0), text='X')
# Initialize clock to record response time
rt_clock = core.Clock()
class MyStim(object):
def __init__(self):
self.lines = []
for x in xrange(1, 33):
for y in xrange(1, 33):
x_pos = ((x - 32 / 2 - 1 / 2) * lineSpaceX +
random.gauss(0, g_posJitter))
y_pos = ((y - 32 / 2 - 1 / 2) * lineSpaceY +
random.gauss(0, g_posJitter))
if ((x_rand <= x < x_rand + width) and
(y_rand <= y < y_rand + height)):
Line_Orientation = random.gauss(patch_orientation,
g_oriJitter)
else:
Line_Orientation = random.gauss(surround_orientation,
g_oriJitter)
current_line = visual.Line(
win, units="deg", start=(0, 0), end=(0.0, 0.35),
pos=(x_pos, y_pos), ori=Line_Orientation,
autoLog=False
)
self.lines.append(current_line)
def draw(self):
[line.draw() for line in self.lines]
myStim = MyStim()
for frameN in range(10):
myStim.draw()
win.flip()
# Clear the screen
win.flip()
print x_rand, y_rand
core.quit()
Please do note that even with this approach, I am dropping frames on a 3-year-old laptop computer with relatively weak integrated graphics chip. But I suspect a modern, fast GPU would be able to handle this amount of visual objects just fine. In the worst case, you could pre-create a large set of stimuli, save them as a bitmap file via win.saveMovieFrames(), and present them as a pre-loaded SimpleImageStim during your actual study.