Continuous Measurement System (CMS)
Summary
We have developed software for rating or coding behavior continuously in time. The Continuous Measurement System (CMS) is joystick/mouse operable software for obtaining continuous reactions to videotaped behavior. The CMS can be used for continuous expert coding of videotaped behavior. The CMS can also be used as a digital affect dial that offers a ‘readout’ of non-expert’s continuous reactions to stimuli. It allows efficient, transparent, replicable measurement of social behavior or other stimuli from multiple non-experts whose ratings are typically aggregated to increase their precision and generalizability.
The software is made available courtesy of R21HD052062 with additional support from R01HD047417. Please reference the following in publications utilizing the software:
Notes
CMS software is now able to present multiple formats of digital video reliably and at different frame rates. The CMS was written using Microsoft Visual Basic .NET. Microsoft Media Control and DirectX 9 are used concurrently in order to control video playback.
Coding is done with a mouse. Rating can be done with a mouse or a joystick. A joystick (Logitech Attack 3) that can be used for rating can be purchased at amazon.com.
Please email dmessinger@miami.edu about scientific issues and rbrewst@gmail.com about technical issues.
Installation
This software has been designed to run on Windows XP (the coding function but not the listfile function appear to work on Windows Vista). The software is not currently compatible with Macintosh OS (but let us know if you are Mac user who can’t live without it). Before installing the CMS software, please install the latest version of Microsoft DirectX and the latest Microsoft DirectX Runtimes.
To install the CMS, download the zip file, extract, and run setup.exe. The program will self-install and contains a help file. The CMS is open source, which means it is a work in progress that you can tailor for your own uses should you wish to. The source code for the CMS (written in VB.net on Visual Studio 2005) is available in the same zip file. Please send us any modifications so we can create a better CMS.
Usage
Video Codecs
Video codecs are software profiles that determine the way that the data in a video file is encoded or decoded. Our CMS software works best with with video files with extensions including .avi, .mpg, .wmv, and .vob.CMS ASCII List File write-up
List files are the ‘instructions’ for CMS to call-up (i.e., play) a given set of video clips. By default, CMS will randomize the order of presentation each time a list file is called up.
Listfiles end with a .list suffix. They may be created using Microsoft notepad. If so, you may need to change the .txt suffix to .list.
It is easiest to store and save list files in the same root directory (folder) where the video clips to be played back are located.
Below is a sample of a list file. The beginning (i.e., File List) and ending (i.e., End) commands must appear as indicated in brackets. Video file names must be delineated EXACTLY as they appear in the root directory. If text is incorrect, the entire list file will not playback.
[File List]75 MOM SF.AVI
69 MOM SF.AVI
72 MOM FF.AVI
75 MOM FF.AVI
71 MOM SF.AVI
75 MOM RE.AVI
71 MOM SF.AVI
71 MOM FF.AVI
72 MOM RE.AVI
75 MOM RE.AVI
69 MOM RE.AVI
72 MOM SF.AVI
71 MOM RE.AVI
69 MOM FF.AVI
[End]