A button box is a hardware device that is used to collect participant responses with high temporal precision, ideally with true ms accuracy.
Both the response (which button was pressed) and time taken to make it are returned. The time taken is determined by a clock on the device itself. This is what makes it capable (in theory) of high precision timing.
Check the log file to see how long it takes for PsychoPy to reset the button box’s internal clock. If this takes a while, then the RT timing values are not likely to be high precision. It might be possible for you to obtain a correction factor for your computer + button box set up, if the timing delay is highly reliable.
The ioLabs button box also has a built-in voice-key, but PsychoPy does not have an interface for it. Use a microphone component instead.
If selected, the lights above the active buttons will be turned on.
Using code components, it is possible to turn on and off specific lights within a trial. See the API for iolab
.
See also
API reference for iolab