Brain-Trainer for BioEra Instruction Manual

Current version: 1.1.3 See changelog

Introduction

Brain-Trainer for BioEra is a complete neurofeedback system that includes the powerful assessment of TQ and some of the most versatile and user-friendly training designs in the world. The whole structure of the program is made “by trainers for trainers”. With the Brain-Trainer software, you can use many different types of feedback: video files, games, MIDI music, brightness and much more.

Enroll in our free Brain-Trainer U course on Brain-Trainer for BioEra Software.

Disclaimer: The Brain-Trainer software is intended for psychological training education and scientific research and should not be used as a medical technology. The Brain-Trainer software is still in development and being constantly improved. Some issues may arise as you use it and we expect to have all of them fixed in the next updates. If you have any problem with the Brain-Trainer software, please report it by sending an e-mail to bt4be@brain-trainer.com

Resources

protocol guide — Protocol settings guide

conversion table for training plan — BioExplorer to BT4BE

Download and Install Brain-Trainer software

The first step toward using your Brain-Trainer software is the software installation. This means you must have one or more software setup installer files on your computer that you will run. In order to run the setup file it must be saved on your computer.

The main setup file is the minimum required to run Brain-Trainer for BioEra software, but you may also have purchased additional modules for HEG/LIFE 2.0, Shadow or Games. If your purchase includes the full installation with all modules, you will have 4 setup installers in total. When additional modules are purchased, they may not be visible in your list of downloadable files immediately. When your order is processed the installers will be added to your downloads and you can then download them.

Download

Save downloads to your computer. The obvious location is your computer’s Downloads folder. You can then open the Downloads folder to find any files you have downloaded.

Once a file is saved to your computer and extracted if needed, it is ready to be run.

How to download setup files (installers)

Install

You may wait for your hardware to arrive before installing software.(PREVIOUS USERS: Before installing your software, check whether there is already a version on your computer. If have installed version 1.011 or older, please uninstall that version before proceeding.)

Double-click each file to run the setup installer. If prompted “A newer version of the K-Lite Codec Pack is available! Do you want to download the latest version?” click “No.” Exit the Codec Guide page if it opens in a browser. You will not need it.

Connect your SanDisk USB software dongle key to a USB port on your computer. This dongle must be plugged in when you want to use the software. Brain-Trainer software will not run without the USB dongle key.

How to run setup files (installers)

Signatures

If you have purchased additional modules, they will require additional files to be placed on your USB dongle key to unlock the components of the software. These will be sent to you by email.

How to place signature files

Open your software

Double-click the Brain-Trainer for BioEra shortcut found on your desktop to open your software.

Check for new updates and update your software to the current version. (See next section.)

Update

To check for updates manually, click the Brain-Trainer icon at the bottom left to open the Updater.

Brain-Trainer for BioEra software (v1.1) offers the option to select automatic updates and to designate how often it will check for updates. The recommended period is every 7 days. We recommend you not skip updates. If you do not want automatic update checks, uncheck the box “Check for updates automatically every (days):”

How to update Brain-Trainer software

Device Connection

Setting Up the J&J PhysioAmp

Connect your device to the computer.
Open Brain-Trainer for BioEra.
Click on the Source to open the Device menu.
Select your J&J device from the dropdown menu. Select GP-8 (2 channels) or GP-12 (and C2+, 4 channels).
Device Configuration will default to 2C EEG for the GP-8e. This can be used for EEG training of 1 or 2 channels. Linked references require a jumper wire that connects to the amplifier ports.If you have the GP-12e or C2+, this selection should be 4C EEG linked. This can be used for most EEG training of 1 or more channels. Other configurations are available for independent references. If you do not see these configurations please contact us for an update.
Close the Device Menu.
If the Source is not green, select Reload design (green square at top left).

Setting Up the Neurobit Optima

With the software open, plug the Neurobit device in the USB port and turn the device on.
Click on the Source to open the Device menu. Tip: Click to expand the drop menu.
Make a selection in the dropdown menu.
- Neurobit Optima+ 4 USB
  Select one of the Optima+ 4 USB settings. You may start with 4C (L) if you do not know what to choose. Then click Close in the Device menu window. Device setup is finished!
  Return to this Device menu to select the appropriate settings for your training. 1-channel training uses “Optima+ 4 USB 1C,” for example. Refer to your training plan to know how many channels and whether references should be linked or independent. “Optima+ 4 USB TQ 4C” is for TQ assessment gathering with TC26, electrodes or Electro-Cap.
- Neurobit 2- or 4-channel devices
  Select either 2C or 4C (General) depending on how many channels your device has.
  (Neurobit 4C (General) also works with Optima+ 4 USB using the following instructions. You may choose this if you want to edit the settings rather than use default.)
  1. Click Device configuration
  2. Select your Neurobit device in the first dropdown list. In this example, the device is “Neurobit 2C (General)”, but yours might be another one.
  3. Click Apply.
  4. Click on the Device settings: “Open” button.
    In the new window, load your settings.
  5. Click “Load.”
  6. If you are not already there, navigate to the folder C:\Brain-Trainer for BioEra\Neurobit Files\[Optima 2 USB in this example]. Users with a device other than Optima+ 4 USB will have a set of settings in their own folder.
    
    Select a file to start out with. If you are not sure of which file to choose, then select “EEG 2C (L) Linked” to try out your new software. When training EEG, return to these device settings to select settings appropriate to your protocol. 1-channel training uses “EEG 1C,” for example. Refer to your training plan to know how many channels and whether references should be linked or independent.HEG settings are automatically loaded when the HEG design is opened, so no settings selection is necessary for HEG.TC26 Trainer’s Cap uses regular EEG settings as for electrodes. “Electro-Cap” training settings are available only for use with Optima+ 4 USB with an electrode cap with ribbon cable using the “Neurobit 4C (General)” device.
  7. Click Open once you have selected your settings file.
  8. Click Close on the Settings window.
  9. Click OK and close the Device menu.

The device name will switch to Neurobit. A green light means the program is receiving a signal from the device. If it is not green, be sure your device is turned on.

Setting Up the PN Wiz

The Pocket Neurobics driver must be installed before connecting to the software. If you have not already done so, download the PN Wiz Driver. (This would have been installed running the wiz amplifier setup.) Save and then right-click to run as administrator. Then continue with connecting to the software.

Plug the PN Wiz device in the USB port.
Click on the Source to open the Device menu.
Select “PN Wiz Automatic” in the dropdown menu. Tip: Click to expand the dropdown menu.
The device name will switch to PN Wiz with a green light. That means the program is receiving a signal from the device. There is no need to select a COM port.

If the source light does not turn green, Select PN Wiz Manual instead of Automatic. Then click the USB symbol. Under COM port: select the correct COM port for your device. Find which port to use

Device configuration should default to Mode 4ch EEG, Radio channel: USB only, Power: on, Link EEG References: On. Generally these do not need to be changed. 2 settings you may want to change are 1) TLC 4C Assess to select TQ Assessment steps and 2) EEG Cap Setup chart: Show/Hide to select electrode cap sites.

Close Device menu when finished.

Setting Up the Alpha200

NOTICE: Do not attach the Alpha200 amplifier to your computer until AFTER you have completed the software installation process.

Download the file AlphaAmp_W7_64.exe
Run the installer.
Now you may connect the Alpha200 to your computer.
Open the computer’s Device Manager (In the search field type “Device Manager” and select it).
Click arrow to expand Universal Serial Bus controllers to locate the unknown USB.
Right-click and select Update.
For a second time, right-click and select Update.
Open Brain-Trainer for BioEra.
Click on the Source to open the Device menu.
Select Alpha200 in the dropdown menu.
The device name will switch to Alpha200.

Setting Up the OpenBCI Ganglion

Connect the Bluetooth in a USB port and turn on the Ganglion power.
Click on the Source to open the Device menu.
Select Ganglion in the dropdown menu.
Click Source again.
Click Device configuration.
In the drop menu, select the serial port in which your Ganglion device is connected. In this example it’s COM3, but yours might be another one. Be careful with this selection as choosing the wrong port may make the program freeze.

If you do not know the COM port number assigned to your device when installing it, you can find it in the computer’s Device Manager:
Open the computer’s Device Manager (In the search field type “Device Manager” and select it).

Click arrow to expand Ports (COM & LPT) to see which port the Bluetooth is using.
Click Apply.
Click the Ganglion settings to confirm that Mode is set to EEG, EMG or ECG.
Click OK and close the Device menu.
The device name will switch to Ganglion and the light should be green. If it is not, be sure you have your device powered on.

Software Features

This is the main screen of the Brain-Trainer software:

The colorful buttons in the center are buttons to select protocols – “designs” – for training or assessment. Clicking any of them will open a sub-menu from which to choose the type of training you want to do. The protocols are categorized into the following types:

TQ – Trainer’s Q assessment
HEG – Hemoencephalography blood perfusion training
FRE – Frequency band training
CON – Connectivity training
BAL – Balance training
ALP – Alpha training

More information on protocols is found in the Design Options section.
Status checker (top left) indicates whether the program is turned on or off. When it is green, the program is receiving a signal from the device.
When red, the program is stopped. Click to select an action.

“Refresh design” refreshes all the elements in the screen and gets the design back to the working mode. It can be used anytime you make a change that is not automatically detected by the system.

“Reload design” closes and reopens the design. It can be useful if you have a frozen screen and the refresh does not solve the issue. It should be used also after making changes in the device setup if the device does not connect (green Source color).

This “information” icon links to this online instruction manual.
Click to open.

The update checker checks for new updates and prompts the user to update now.
You can set automatic updates as often as you prefer.

The “Source” colored box in the bottom center indicates which device is currently being used, as well as its status. A green light means the system is receiving data from the device. A red light means there’s no data being sent from the device and may indicate an issue with the device connection and/or setup.

This also opens the Device menu. Here you can set up your devices and select device settings. If it is the first time you run the Brain-Trainer software, the device is set to “Simulator”.

Session saving configuration allows the user to choose an alternative location to save client files rather than the default “session” folder.
This is done from the Main Screen.

Protocol loader allows you to load a pre-saved protocol for a specific client.
See Saving protocols and Loading saved protocols.

Designs have additional icons.

Designs menu allows you to select a protocol for training.
This appears the same as on the Main menu of the program.

Protocol saver allows you to save a pre-configured protocol for a specific client and even create all protocols for the entire Whole-Brain Training Plan to send as a folder for a client. See Saving protocols and Loading saved protocols.

Signal tester shows the raw EEG and histogram to check for signal quality.
Click and drag corner to resize window.

Feedback manager opens window to customize feedback settings.
(playlist, volume, brightness, etc.)

Sound configuration opens settings for changing feedback sounds.
Select MIDI sounds or click sound.

Midi sound control turns MIDI feedback tones off or on.
Click to turn off or back on.

Design Options

TQ – TQ Trainer’s Q assessment

Gather data for creating a Whole-Brain Training Plan. Select 2 channels or 4 channels according to your amplifier. Choose this options at times when you need to do fewer than the recommended 3 conditions (EC, EO, Task) for the client. This is necessary sometimes when a client cannot sit still for a condition or task.

How to perform the TQ Assessment

TQ 4C real-time artifacting

The purpose of real-time artifacting is to collect data while excluding data with artifact. Use this when you want to record each site until enough artifact-free data are collected.

Performing the TQ real-time artifacting Assessment

HEG – Hemoencephalography

Increases blood perfusion to the prefrontal area of the brain for attention, impulse control, mood stability. Trains both “closed focus” (increase training) and “open focus” (decrease training).

LIFE Game for HEG

Beautiful graphics in game format to display the brain’s activity as it trains in both directions for closed focus and open focus.

How to run a LIFE HEG session

General HEG:

Select up (increase), down (decrease), both or free mode (either as desired).

How to run a General HEG session

FRE – Frequency

Trains frequencies up or down as well as relationship between frequency bands.

FRE1+

Select from 1 channel, 2 channels summed and 4 channels summed. Signals are added together before going forward to filters leaving a single target for all sites in each training band. For your convenience, a button is available for pre-set protocols Centering (2-channel summed), Trauma Release (1C) and Windowed squash (4C) under Design setup.

“Reset success rate” button will reset threshold targets after using Trauma protocols.

FRE2C

2 channels with individual signals (not summed) and separate targets for each channel. Preset protocols are available on this design for Beta/SMR, Dual Bipolar and Dual Bipolar (Calming) under Design setup.

FRE4C

4 channels with individual signals (not summed) and separate targets for each channel. A preset protocol is available for RH Bipolar protocol settings to auto-load.

About RH Bipolar training

FRE%1C

Used for percentage / ratio training, commonly SMR%. to select frequencies between 0.1 and 20 Hz. Use sliders’ arrows to increase or decrease by 0.1 Hz.

Sliders will keep the last values that were used the next time the design is opened. Use reset buttons to set sliders to commonly used bands (12-15 Hz, 9-12 Hz).High Beta inhibit is generally left on.

CON – Connectivity

Multiband Coherence 2C or 4C

Train multiple bands up or down simultaneously. High frequency coherence is trained down; low frequency coherence is trained up. Reverse (Rocking) button allows training the opposite direction. A collection of multi-voice songs is available. Each voice is enabled according to a target being met.

Sync 2C and 4C

Trains synchrony in 1, 2 or 3 bands simultaneously in 2 or 4 channels.

Multivariate Coherence (MVC)

Special protocol for frequency + coherence training based on Rob Coben’s Four Channel Multivariate Coherence Training: Development and Evidence in Support of a New Form of Neurofeedback.

About Multivariate Coherence

BAL – Balance

Trains relationships of frequencies between areas of the brain or between frequency bands in different sites.

Alpha-Beta Asymmetry

Balances alpha and beta between left and right or front and back site pairs. Select alpha and beta, alpha only or beta only in Design setup.

Difference

Decreases the difference between two bands in 1, 2 or 4 channels. Select the bands you want to train in Design setup.

Sum & Diff

Decreases both the sum of two bands and the difference of two bands between different sites in 2 channels. Set the frequency range that you want to train.

ALP – Alpha

Trains middle frequencies of 8-13 Hz.

Alpha Up

Increases percentage of alpha over entire EEG, 10 Hz alpha over entire alpha band and decreases non-alpha frequencies. Select range for dominant frequency: 8-12 Hz (default) or 6-12 Hz.

Alpha-Theta

Deep states / Peak performance protocol. Trains with songs as default to enhance the brain state. There is an option to deselect this background music.

About Alpha Theta

Design Features

Session controls

Pause, Play and Stop buttons are at the top left of the designs for starting and stopping a session. Notice that the active (available) button- Play – is blue before the session is started. While a session is playing, the active buttons – Pause or Stop – are blue.

After a session is stopped, the Play button will become a “Restart” button. Restart must be pressed before making any further selections, including opening a new design.

Session Timer

The session can be stopped at any time during training using the stop button. Alternatively, the session time can be set using the session timer. Click the time display (00:00:00) and a slider will be visible. Click and drag the slider to set the number of minutes the session will last. The trainer may choose to select to pause rather than stop after a period. A chime will sound at the end of the period.

Device Settings

Settings for your amplifier can be accessed by clicking on the amplifier name. You can load settings or add a new device here.

Session Playback

A session that has been recorded can be played back using the Device settings.
Click the device and from the drop menu select “Playback.”

How to play back a saved session

Signal Tester

The Signal Tester allows the trainer to check for signal quality before starting the session. This window has raw EEG signal and spectral displays just as in each design, though the signal can be assessed more easily due to the larger size of the instruments. The signal tester shows the actual signal that is sent by the amplifier. Then the signal is filtered (50 Hz lowpass) before going into the design objects, so 50/60 Hz interference is not shown in the training displays.

Open the Signal Tester window by clicking the wave icon. The Signal Tester window can be sized larger by clicking and dragging the corner of the window. This can be opened at any time before or while the session is playing.

EEG Oscilloscope

This displays the raw EEG. Signal quality can be checked and the EEG can be visualized and assessed.

Power Spectrum

This spectral display shows the amplitudes for all frequencies. The frequency bands are divided by color. In the order that they appear, they are as follows:

2-4 (delta) – yellow
4-8 (theta) – pink
8-12 (alpha) – purple
12-15 (low beta / SMR) – aqua
15-19 (beta 2) – green
19-23 (beta 3) – pink
23-38 (high beta) – orange
38-42 (gamma) – red
42-60 (not used in training) – white

Feedback selection

MIDI music is set as the default feedback. Other available feedback options are shown depending on the design and which modules are installed.

The feedback manager is a control panel from which settings are selected for the feedback that is chosen.

MIDI tones and Click sound

Default audio feedback “Sound configuration” allows a user to change the properties of MIDI and click sounds used for feedback in most protocols.
MIDI sound configuration is for advanced users only.

MIDI sounds can be muted if desired by clicking the blue speaker icon.
Click to mute and unmute.

About MIDI Feedback

Record Session

To record a session (assessment or training), click the box “Record session.” This will show the option to select or add a client. The file name can be customized by adding a complement to the filename if desired.

The default folder is AAA_Sample Client for your testing. This sample client folder is located in the folder C:\Brain-Trainer for BioEra\session. Other client folders you create will be here unless you designate an alternate location.

Client folder

A client folder can be created from the design by using the “Add client” icon. Session recordings such as Assessment files are saved to this folder. This is visible when “Record session” is selected.

Design settings

Activate channels, select frequency bands and feedback type, select special protocol settings, set session timer. Any variables set in a design will be “remembered” the next time the design is loaded, including feedback type and client selected.

Saving protocols

You can select settings for a client according to his/her training plan and save the protocol to the client’s folder. This allows you to save an entire set of protocols for the Whole-Brain Training Plan that can then be sent to a client for training. Specific blocks can be indicated.

How to save protocols and to load saved protocols

Loading saved protocols

The “Load protocol” folder icon in the top right of the design will allow you to select protocols with their settings that you have saved. Select client, block and protocol.

Thresholds (targets)

Thresholds are target levels that are set for training. If the box is ticked, the threshold will become visible and active. Feedback is usually given when the target is met (training signal is either above or below the threshold bar). Most designs set thresholds automatically or switch to manual after baseline gathering period (e.g. 30 seconds).

The top number indicates the running average of the signal value (e.g. amplitude). The lower number indicates the percent of the last 30 seconds the target is being met (“percent success”)

Threshold properties can be changed but should be done so by advanced users only..

How to change threshold properties

Feedback Options

Training can be done with just the default MIDI (sound) tones and click sound or you can select enhanced feedback from our available options.

Click – contingent audio feedback

Brain-Trainer designs generally have a default “click” sound feedback that will be heard in addition to visual feedback. The click sound can be heard when the training targets are all met for 1 second.

How to change click feedback

MIDI – continuous audio feedback

Brain-Trainer designs generally have default “MIDI” sound feedback created by the brain that can be used alone or in addition to visual feedback.

How to change MIDI feedback

Video player feedback

Video feedback comes as part of Brain-Trainer for BioEra’s main application. Use a video playlist as stop/go or bright/dim feedback.
NOTE: Make changes to the video playlist before starting the data stream.

Open the Video panel..
Load videos to playlist and select settings options.
Close video panel.
Start session. (Play).

How to use video feedback

Shadow feedback

Shadow feedback is an add-on option for feedback. A shadow window overlays any screen or window that you choose. It can be resized lik any window by clicking the corner with your mouse and dragging it until it is the size or shape that you want.
NOTE: Start the data stream before starting the shadow.

Select design settings
Select shadow settings
Open the Shadow
Start the session
Activate the shadow

How to use Shadow feedback

Games Feedback

Games feedback is an add-on option for feedback. The games panel has a selection of 8 games plus the option to load your own flash game that is compatible with Brain-Trainer, such as other BioPLAY games, that are not included with Brain-Trainer software. Required inputs for such games are:

Input 1: On/Off (boolean); on when all targets are met simultaneously
Input 2: On/Off (boolean); on when all targets are met and sustained for over 1 second.
Input 3: Variable (percentage); value based on ratio of all thresholds combined (how close or distant the current value is from the target value)

How to use games as feedback

HEG options and Shadow feedback

HEG is an add-on module for training the prefrontal area of the brain. HEG general training can use feedback based on the signal going in the correct direction, the signal going above the threshold target (or below in diving) or based on the Attention Index (keeping the signal at or above the previous signal sample).

Video: HEG feedback parameters

Running BioEra Pro

A full version of BioEra Pro is installed with your Brain-Trainer software. Most trainers will use only the Brain-Trainer interface and designs. For advanced trainers with knowledge of programming designs themselves, BioEra Pro can be run on its own. To run BioEra Pro, open C:\Brain-Trainer for BioEra. Find the file bioera.exe (application) and double-click. Bioera.exe gives access to the full function of BioEra. You may see a window asking for a password. Click cancel. Then a message is shown that it is in “run-only” mode. This only refers to the specific design. It is possible to create a new design or load a design from the computer.

Troubleshooting

Please see our troubleshooting page for Brain-Trainer for BioEra software.