A microcomputer system for the control of behavioral experiments.

A self-contained microcomputer control system (MCS) is described for controlling and recording events from behavioral experiments using a low-cost microcomputer, the Rockwell AIM 65, and the BASIC language. Features of the system include a printer, alphanumeric display, 4K RAM, 8K BASIC on read only memory (ROM), a cassette interface, a power supply, and a control interface, all contained in a compact enclosure. The control interface allows for 16 inputs and 16 outputs, and includes a real-time clock and versatile machine language subroutines for controlling and recording real-time events. These features make BASIC a suitable user language for this application. The use of this microcomputer control system for operant research in behavioral pharmacology is described.