facilities

Computer Facilities
The Center has a network of about 50 Windows machines and a Linux computational cluster. The Linux cluster is used primarily for fMRI data analysis. The cluster consists of 16 computer nodes and 8 fileserver nodes. All nodes utilize dual CPU (AMD Opteron) and 2 GB of memory. Each of the fileserver nodes has 3.0 TB of disk space arranged in two hardware Raid5 arrays. These Raids are used for both "online" and "nearline" data storage, creating the capabilities for the disk-to-disk backup strategies.

spatial thinkingA separate Linux fileserver with about 12 TB of disk space serves as a backup server.

The Windows machines are used as desktop machines and for data acquisition (experiment running). They are networked in a Windows "active directory," a directory server that provides file service, printing, and file backup. The experimental machines run the CogLab Experimental Control Program.

The internal CCBI network is 1 Gigabit/sec, providing excellent capabilities for data exchange, which is extremely useful for the interactive image processing.

Instrumentation
The Center employs a number of devices to present stimuli to and collect data from our participants, including an eyetracker, high-resolution display goggles, joystick, trackball, and response buttons.

The Virtual Reality display goggles (from Resonance Technology) can display high-resolution (XGA) computer images consisting of text, static images, or virtual reality graphics. The goggles contain an eye-tracking camera, making it possible to relate the fMRI data acquisition to the monitoring of the point of regard.

The trackball and joystick used in the Center's driving simulation studies are standard models that have been modified to fit our experimental designs and are fMRI compatible.