Electronics and Computer Module

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SUMMARY/ABSTRACT - ELECTRONICS AND COMPUTER MODULE The Electronics and Computer Module, staffed by a full-time electrical engineer, has long been an integral part of a variety of NEI R01-funded research projects at the University of Michigan. Electronic instrumentation and computer-assisted data acquisition and analysis are essential to many areas of vision research, ranging from visual neuroscience to retinal development and regeneration. Although much of the electronic instrumentation used in vision science is commercially available, there remains a high demand for: modification of commercially available equipment; custom equipment such as light sources, filters, shutters, controllers, power supplies and heaters; and technical support to ensure the smooth, coordinated operation of electronic instrumentation, computers, and software. A second way in which the Electronics and Computer Module benefits investigators is by providing assistance with data acquisition and analysis (including programming), as well as hardware and software support for research computers and data backup systems. Finally, this Module provides a rapid repair service for electronic instrumentation including such laboratory equipment as freezers, centrifuges and incubators, which allows investigators to avoid costly delays in their experimental timeline. The Module, housed in a dedicated room in the Brehm Tower at the W.K. Kellogg Eye Center, has a full complement of electronic test equipment, light meters, computer hardware and software to support research, including Tektronix oscilloscopes, general purpose pulse/function generators, power supplies and breadboards, programmers for programmable memory and logic devices, multimeters and logic probes, Windows and Macintosh computers, a spectrophotometer, and A/D & D/A boards for program development, measurement, and testing purposes. Programming software includes C, LabVIEW, and MATLAB. The Electronics and Computer Module was heavily or moderately utilized by 8 participating investigators and their lab members during the past funding period, and 14 participating investigators anticipate using the Module to a moderate or extensive degree in the next funding period. This Module has also provided support for computers in the other Core Modules and will continue to do so in the next funding period.