Signal 2 software

Signal is an established Windows application for fast, sweep-based data capture and analysis, capable of unrivalled sampling, experimental control and analysis using one of the CED 1401 family of intelligent laboratory interfaces.

Typical applications

High speed transient capture
Waveform averaging
Grand averaging

Spectral analysis
Evoked potentials
Electromyography

Vibration monitoring
Rotating machinery
Auditory studies

Field potentials
Teaching
Voltage clamping

Data acquisition

Record and display fast sweeps of waveform data to disk with over 1,000,000 data points per sweep
Sample up to 80 waveform inputs at aggregate rates up to 400 kHz, 2.5 MHz single channel
Pulse, sine and arbitrary waveform output while sampling
Fast single mouse click switching of sampled configuration and output protocols
Capture triggered or free running sweeps with post or peri-trigger modes
Mark data files with flags to indicate external states and facilitate selective review and analysis
Automatic artefact rejection mechanism to mark or discard data
Perform built-in and custom analyses on incoming sampled data
Configure dynamically programmable amplifiers including the CED 1902 low noise amplifier and Power1401

The micro1401 and Power1401 interfaces

Data display and analysis

Display features include:

Display of waveform data as dots, line or histogram; marker data as dots, indicators or rate histogram
Multiple windows with independent channels and axis ranges
Frame overdraw mode with colour cycling
Keyboard and mouse-driven display control with multiple undo
Data review during acquisition

On-line and off-line analysis:

Automatic feature detection, such as P300 with active cursors
Measure mean, SD, RMS, sum, area, modulus, slope and more
Curve fitting of multiple exponentials and Gaussians
Create trend plots holding sets of measurements and fit values
Multi-channel waveform average with data selection
Multi-channel spectral analysis and spectrum averaging
Select and tag frames of data to be included in the analysis
Export selected data to new data files, text files or clipboard
Create and save memory data sets holding modified data or results
Hot-key data manipulation - rectify, negate, remove DC level

Pulse output control panel and IV plot using the XY view

Active cursor control panel and cursor measurement

Curve fitting across multiple frames

The CED script language

You can extend the capture and analysis capabilities of Signal with the CED script language. This built-in macro language automates repetitive functions and can be used for developing more advanced analysis features. Scripts can access incoming data or data already stored on the hard disk. Whilst many users will develop their own scripts or use the example scripts provided, a script-writing service is available from CED.

Script language features include:

Specially developed high-level commands for performing complex analyses with a single instruction
Programmable toolbars, pop-up windows and dialog boxes for developing a custom user-interface
Familiar control structures (for...next loops, procedures, etc.)
Comprehensive debugging tools - breakpoints, single-stepping and variable values
Advanced script editor with syntax colouring, function find and formatting
Toolbars for access to commonly used scripts and for book-marking and editing

System requirements

Signal version 2 requires one of the CED 1401 series of intelligent laboratory interfaces and a PC with Windows 95, 98, Me or Windows NT 4, 2000 or XP. We recommend that the PC has a minimum 32 MB of RAM.