Rating: Excellent
Strong Points: Extensive documentation and explanatory material for each software package
Weak Points: None
Electrophysiology may conjure images of neuroscientists of yore, tinkering with oscilloscopes on rigs that are stacked as high as the ceiling. However, electrophysiology techniques have come a long way since the early days of the field, and sleek electrode arrays are now able to record more data than ever before. Open Ephys attempts to fill the gap between electrophysiology data collection and data processing through a suite of free and open-source tools. The website includes downloads for a variety of programs, including a graphical user interface that displays your neural recordings on your computer screen in real time, a MATLAB script for data acquisition, and even a program that can track your animal’s behavior. Additionally, users can purchase a variety of tools through the website, such as electrode arrays and acquisition boards. Open Ephys is an excellent resource for electrophysiologists who are ready to start collecting data but need some help getting started.
