Advice for Doric Gen3 Minicubes

[SamCongd]

Hi,

I wanted to ask if anyone in the community has had any luck using the next generation of minicubes with the current PyPhotometry hardware. I understand that by incorporating the LED drivers into the minicube we are unable to connect the LED driver output directly into the minicube as we did with gen 2.

It seems totally possible to directly wire the analog voltage outputs to the minicube and bypass the pyphotometry LED driver circuits as suggested here (https://github.com/orgs/pyPhotometry/discussions/14#discussioncomment-8694013), but has anyone done this with their system? If so, does the custom job stand up to the general wear-and-tear of the lab? We are deciding on whether to have the gen 2 system built for us by doric or simply using the next generation with the modifications, so any feedback would be appreciated!

[ThomasAkam]

Hi @SamCongd

I have designed and tested a new version of the acqusition board (see photo below) which has LED control outputs that output a voltage signals suitable for controlling LED drivers, in addition to the constant-current LED driver outputs suitable for controlling LEDs directly. I should have the design files for this online soon and will aim to get it commercially available ASAP.

The led control outputs on the new board are connected to the analog output pins on the pyboard micocontroller (pin X5 and X6) which also provide the control signal for the LED driver circuits. The only intervening circuitry is a 100 ohm resistor to provide some protection to the pin against accidental short circuits or similar.

I have done a small amount of testing of the LED control outputs with a doric Gen3 minicube and this seemed to work OK, though I think it is best to remove the neutral density filters (mounted in user accessible trays on the bottom side of the minicube) to get suitable LED output power.

[ThomasAkam]

Hi @AtMostafa,

Labmaker should have the V2.0 pyPhotometry boards available to purchase in late April, I'll post on the discussion board as soon as this happens.

best,

Thomas

[AtMostafa]

Amazing!! Looking forward.

[AtMostafa]

Hi @ThomasAkam, was wondering if there is any update on this? If you expect it to be delayed, can you recommend the best way to go about assembling a pyPhotometry v2 myself? Really appreciate it :)

[ThomasAkam]

Hi @AtMostafa, I think that both OEPS and Labmaker have now assembled and tested the pyPhotometry V2 board. I'm not sure when they will have them for sale on their websites but I suggest contating them directly to see if they are able to ship you one now.

[AtMostafa]

Will do. Many thanks!

[ThomasAkam]

In the lab currently we are using a combination of Gen1 and Gen2 minicubes so I have not used the Gen3 beyond borrowing one from annother lab to do some quick tests with the new board. I think that either the Gen 2 minicube (with LED intensity adjustment rings removed to increase light power, see here) or the Gen 3 minicube with the new version of the pyPhotometry board with LED control outputs should work fine. The Gen 3 are a bit more expensive as they have the integrated LED drivers, and are only straightforwardly compatible with the version 2 of the pyphotometry board which is not yet commercially available.

[SamCongd]

Great. Thanks a bunch!