Student Instructional Guide

1. Click on run continuously to easily change the toggles (red) and turn RT graph on (orange).2. All inputs are on the right side of the program, with the exact set up differing per experiment.3. Toggle on Goniometer (yellow) to view position, load cell (LC) to view force, OR an EMG channel to

test EMG connections (blue)4. Only one toggle should be on at a time.

Viewing Live Data

Run Continuously

Real Time (RT) Graph

EMG Connection Testing

1. Testing EMG connections is crucial before running an experiment.2. Make sure RT graph is on, you are running continuously, you select only one EMG channel at a time,

all other input toggles should be off.3. Trial type selected (timed trial or fatigue trial) does not matter.4. If the connection is good, there should be a change in the graph with muscle contraction.

1. Trial can be a fatigue trial or a timed trial (located in yellow box) 2. Timed trials only record for a predetermined length of time, often only seconds. This is used when

testing a subject’s maximal strength. 3. Fatigue trials will record until the subject “fails”. This is the main data collected.4. Toggle on whichever you need.

Trial Type

Max Strength Testing

1. A predetermined trial length should be entered in Trial Length box on left side (blue)2. All of the following should be toggled on: Run Continuously, RT graph, Load Cell (LC), Timed

Trial as trial type, Grab Max Force (all yellow)3. Prepare your subject for the trial, then turn “Start Data Collection” On (pink)

Position Matching Testing

1. All of the following should be toggled on: Run Continuously, RT graph, Goniometer, Fatigue Trial as trial type, and position matching (all yellow)

2. View current position box (blue) and click on “Set Position Match” (pink) when it displays a desired value for the specific experiment.

3. “Set Position Matching Tolerance” should be set to 1 (green), or to what is advised from specific experiment. This creates room for error.

4. Finally, turn on “Start Data Collection” and “Start Task Failure Timer” for the computer to collect data and record time to task failure (orange).

Force Matching Testing

1. All of the following should be toggled on: Run Continuously, RT graph, Load Cell (LC), Fatigue Trial as trial type, and force matching (all yellow)

2. Current force box (blue) tells you amount of force currently exerted on the load cell. Enter calculated force match in “Set Force Match” box (pink) as described in each specific experiment.

3. “Set Force Matching Tolerance” should be set to .1 (green), or to what is advised from each specific experiment. This creates room for error.

4. Finally, turn on “Start Data Collection” and “Start Task Failure Timer” for the computer to collect data and record time to task failure (orange).

Additional Components

Stop

Norm Graph

1. Stop (green)- stops current trial when you no longer wish to run continuously2. Norm Graph (yellow)- allows you to view the last trial, which is important when looking to see if a

subject’s force plateaus as when max testing3. Clocks and timers (pink)- must be hidden from the subject during the experiments, often by opening

many calculator programs and placing them over the clocks and timers. Also note the clock at the bottom right corner of the computer.