A versatile feedback controller for electro-mechanical stimulation devices.

Neurophysiological and behavioral work often requires that various laboratory stimulators be feedback-stabilized. We describe the design and performance of a versatile electronic controller that can be used to extend and flatten the frequency response of commercially available stimulating devices. The design includes flexible proportional-integral-derivative control action and active second-order, high-pass compensation. As an example application of this controller to 3 different electro-mechanical vibrator/transducer combinations demonstrates that the useful frequency response can be extended by more than a decade as compared with the uncontrolled device.