User Tools

Site Tools


neuroelf_introduction

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revision Previous revision
Next revision
Previous revision
neuroelf_introduction [2011/03/31 02:21]
jochen rephrases the introduction
neuroelf_introduction [2014/06/07 06:09] (current)
jochen updated blurbs about Mac OSX and Octave
Line 1: Line 1:
-{{ :neuroelf_facelogo600.jpg?400 |NeuroElf logo }}+{{ http://​neuroelf.net/​face.jpg?400 |NeuroElf logo }}
  
 ====== NeuroElf Introduction ====== ====== NeuroElf Introduction ======
-NeuroElf is a [[http://​www.mathworks.com/​products/​matlab/​|Matlab]]-based toolbox for working with neuro-imaging data. Please be aware that NeuroElf was and is not meant as a replacement ​of any of the more traditional and full-fledged neuro-imaging tools (such as [[http://​www.brainvoyager.com/​products/​brainvoyagerqx.html|BrainVoyager QX]], [[http://​www.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/​spm/​software/​spm8/​|SPM]],​ [[http://​afni.nimh.nih.gov/​afni|AFNI]],​ [[http://​www.fmrib.ox.ac.uk/​fsl/​|FSL]],​ [[http://​surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/​|FreeSurfer]],​ ...), but rather meant to be used in addition to those, as it augments their functionality,​ facilitating ​some of the tasks that might otherwise be more difficult to achieve for those researchers who are not as familiar with coding their own routines in Matlab.+NeuroElf is a [[http://​www.mathworks.com/​products/​matlab/​|Matlab]]-based toolbox for working with neuro-imaging data. Please be aware that NeuroElf was and is not meant as a replacement ​for any of the more traditional and full-fledged neuro-imaging tools (such as [[http://​www.brainvoyager.com/​products/​brainvoyagerqx.html|BrainVoyager QX]], [[http://​www.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/​spm/​software/​spm8/​|SPM]],​ [[http://​afni.nimh.nih.gov/​afni|AFNI]],​ [[http://​www.fmrib.ox.ac.uk/​fsl/​|FSL]],​ [[http://​surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/​|FreeSurfer]],​ ...), but rather meant to be used in addition to those, as it augments ​some of their functionality,​ facilitating ​a few of the tasks that might otherwise be more difficult to achieve for those researchers who are not as familiar with coding their own routines in Matlab.
  
 +===== Core elements =====
 Core elements of the toolbox'​s functionality are Core elements of the toolbox'​s functionality are
  
   * a flexible file handling class, **[[xff]]**,​ which gives the user read and write access to the formats used by the above mentioned programs, and also makes certain "​methods"​ available, with which these objects can be manipulated and the data be made available for various purposes   * a flexible file handling class, **[[xff]]**,​ which gives the user read and write access to the formats used by the above mentioned programs, and also makes certain "​methods"​ available, with which these objects can be manipulated and the data be made available for various purposes
   * a GUI element handling class, **[[xfigure]]**,​ that ameliorates some of the issues I encountered while working with Matlab'​s uicontrols (such as applying changes to groups of elements and facilitate the somewhat cumbersome access to GUI settings)   * a GUI element handling class, **[[xfigure]]**,​ that ameliorates some of the issues I encountered while working with Matlab'​s uicontrols (such as applying changes to groups of elements and facilitate the somewhat cumbersome access to GUI settings)
-  * a configuration file handling class, **[[xini]], allowing to store configuration settings in human readable form (as an alternative to MAT files)+  * a configuration file handling class, **[[xini]]**, allowing to store configuration settings in human readable form (as an alternative to MAT files)
   * as well as **[[transimg]]**,​ a class that allows stacking layers of image data for combination to images   * as well as **[[transimg]]**,​ a class that allows stacking layers of image data for combination to images
   * and **[[transio]]**,​ an implementation allowing to work with large files without having to read their entire contents into memory   * and **[[transio]]**,​ an implementation allowing to work with large files without having to read their entire contents into memory
  
 On top of this "​core"​ functionality operates a [[neuroelf_gui|GUI]] that allows the user to access some of the functionality of the core elements via dialogs and forms. In particular it is able to visualize voxel- and surface-based objects, to compute (in a limited capacity) and display statistical results, and create tables and screenshots of those. On top of this "​core"​ functionality operates a [[neuroelf_gui|GUI]] that allows the user to access some of the functionality of the core elements via dialogs and forms. In particular it is able to visualize voxel- and surface-based objects, to compute (in a limited capacity) and display statistical results, and create tables and screenshots of those.
 +
 +Another set of features covers the ease by which data can be manipulated,​ but from the command line and the graphical user interface. Particularly the 3D drawing tools have been substantially enhanced in recent releases.
  
 Additionally,​ some automatization routines (e.g. a small UI for batching preprocessing of multiple subjects using the functionality of SPM5/8), analysis functionality (e.g. robust regression of second-level neuroimaging data), as well as some further visualization capabilities (e.g. display of VOI-based averaged trial-locked BOLD responses) are provided. Additionally,​ some automatization routines (e.g. a small UI for batching preprocessing of multiple subjects using the functionality of SPM5/8), analysis functionality (e.g. robust regression of second-level neuroimaging data), as well as some further visualization capabilities (e.g. display of VOI-based averaged trial-locked BOLD responses) are provided.
  
-For installation instructions,​ please [[NeuroElf installation|read on...]]+===== Installation ===== 
 +For installation instructions,​ please [[NeuroElf installation|read on...]] ​And you might also want to check out the [[NeuroElf features|list of features]] of the toolbox. 
 + 
 +===== Compatibility ===== 
 +Given that Matlab'​s syntax has changed over the years, and some features are not available in very old versions, currently NeuroElf runs (to the best of my knowledge) under the following environments:​ 
 + 
 +  * Microsoft Windows (tested under Windows XP and Windows 7), using Matlab Version v7.5 (R2007b) and onwards 
 +  * Linux (tested under S.u.S.E. Linux 11.2, 64-bit edition as well as Ubuntu 10, 32-bit edition), using Matlab Version v7.5 (R2007b) and onwards 
 +  * Mac OSX (tested under Mac OS 10.7 through Mac OS 10.9), using Matlab Version v7.5 (R2007b) and onwards 
 +  * which beginning with NeuroElf v0.9c there is very basic support for [[http://​www.gnu.org/​software/​octave/​|GNU Octave]]--starting with version v3.4.0--please be aware that I am not regularly testing new functionality against Octave!
neuroelf_introduction.1301530889.txt.gz · Last modified: 2011/03/31 02:21 by jochen