Hardware Guide

ONIX consists of several hardware devices:

Attention

ONIX hardware version compatibility is documented on this google sheet.

PCIe Host

The ONIX PCIe/FMC host device is the heart of ONIX. It provides the interface between the acquisition computer and any attached headstages, as well as digital and analog in/outputs. Most acquisition systems communicate via USB, but this board sits directly in a PCIe slot in the acquisition computer. This greatly increases the speed of communication between ONIX and the computer, reducing closed-loop latencies.

The host can also generate a very precise clock that is synchronized to its hardware.

Breakout

The Breakout Board facilitates user access to the functionality of the host board. On the Breakout Board, the analog channels and digital lines of the host board are split out into individual connectors. This is where users can, for instance, connect external devices for acquisition and synchronisation. The buttons can be user-configured to provide signals to ONIX when pressed.

Headstages can be connected directly to the host, or with an SMA connection first to the Breakout Board and then to the host. The same can be done to access the host clock output.

Headstages & Miniscopes

ONIX headstages communicate with the host board through a coaxial cable, that can be kept very thin and light. Rather than just pre-amplifying data, ONIX headstages perform many tasks on the headstage itself. The 64-channel headstage, for instance, can locally drive an LED or provide current stimulation, without the need for an external device and an additional fiber or cable to the animal. UCLA Miniscopes are also directly compatible with ONIX.

Commutators

The active commutator is optional, but very useful for experiments with freely-moving animals. The commutator responds to the orientation sensor in the headstage or miniscope. When the animal turns, the commutator can actively turn a rotary joint, precisely counteracting the rotation of the animal and preventing twisting of the tether.

Lighthouses

Lighthouses or ‘base stations’ are positioned above the setup. They emit either a vertical or horizontal laser plane that sweeps over the setup. Trackable ONIX headstages contain infrared diodes that detect this light, allowing the spatial position of the photodiode to be determined.

Adapters & EIBs

Several adapters and EIBs exist to interface between ONIX and microwire or silicon probes, as well as an adapter for Omnetics-based EIBs and the Nano-Z.