Getting Started
From unboxing to your first experiment in five steps. Everything you need to set up your Easy Behavior system and start collecting data.
Unbox Your System
Your Easy Behavior system ships with all hardware components, cables, and consumables needed for your first experiments. Check the packing list included in the box to verify all items are present.
- Main electronics board with controller
- Feeding arenas (quantity depends on configuration)
- USB cable and power adapter
- Quick-start guide with system-specific instructions
Install Bonsai
All Easy Behavior products use the Bonsai visual programming framework for data acquisition. Bonsai is free, open-source software that runs on Windows.
Download
bonsai-rx.orgInstall the latest stable release. The installer will guide you through selecting the required packages for your specific hardware.
Connect Hardware
Connect your system to your computer via USB. The controller board will be recognized as a serial device. Follow the system-specific wiring diagram included in your quick-start guide.
- Connect the USB cable to the controller board and your computer
- Attach feeding arenas to the main board
- Verify the connection in Bonsai by opening the provided workflow
- Check that all channels show baseline capacitance readings
Run Your First Experiment
Load the appropriate Bonsai workflow for your experiment type. Pre-built workflows are available for all standard assays.
- Open the acquisition workflow in Bonsai
- Load food into the arena wells
- Introduce flies into the arenas
- Start the workflow and monitor the real-time trace
- Data is saved automatically to your specified output folder
Analyze Data
Use the provided analysis scripts to extract feeding parameters from your raw data. Output includes sip counts, duration, feeding microstructure, and preference indices.
Analysis Tools
Need help getting started?
Contact us for technical support or to schedule a walkthrough of your new system.