R²Z

R²Z - Reiz-Reaktion-Zeit. A program to measure times required to motor-react (pressing a key or the display) to different visual stimuli. Each test yields a score and there is an online highscore available. A simple offline data evaluation is also included. The program supports English (default) or German (when detected as system language).
Available for several operating systems, plus a "touch edition" for Android.

This software is originally (but of course not only) intended for educational purpose and suitable for school and lower university classes.
But it's also just some fun to test your reaction times, kind of a very simple game. With the online highscore you can try to hunt a best score of the day, the week or overall!

Don't hesitate to contact me for further information!

R²Z - Reiz-Reaktion-Zeit. Ein Programm zur Messung der Zeit bis zur motorischen Reaktion (Drücken einer Taste bzw. des Displays) auf unterschiedliche visuelle Reize. Jeder Test ergibt einen Scorewert und es gibt einen Onlinehighscore. Außerdem ist eine einfache offline Datenauswertung im Program enthalten. Die Programmoberfläche unterstützt englisch (Standard) und deutsch. Nicht alle Teile der Anleitung sind auf deutsch verfügbar.
Das Programm ist für verschiedene Betriebssysteme verfügbar, zusätzlich gibt es die für Android angepasste "Touch-Edition".

Diese Software ist ursprünglich (aber nicht nur) für didaktische Zwecke gedacht und passend für alle Schulklassen und niedrige Universitätskurse.
Es macht aber einfach auch so Spaß die Reaktionszeiten zu messen, es ist eine Art einfaches Spiel. Mit dem Onlinehighscore kann man nun auf die Jagt nach den besten Werten des Tages, der letzten sieben Tage oder insgesamt gehen.

Bei Rückfragen, Anregungen, Wünschen einfach das Kontaktformular nutzen!

Table of Content - Inhaltsverzeichnis

Welcome - a brief introduction about the program

License - terms of use

Requirements - what is needed to run this program?

Installation - installation of the program

Usage - how to use the programm

Download - get your copy here

FAQ - frequently asked questions

History - history and future develoment

Welcome - Willkommen

A software to measure the times required to motor-react (pressing a key or the display) to different visual stimuli. With online highscore and simple offline data evaluation is also included.

Eine Software zur Messung benötigter Zeiten von der Präsentation visueller Reize bis zur motorischen Reaktion (Drücken einer Taste oder des Displays). Mit Onlinehighscore und integrierter einfacher offline Datenauswertung.

License - Lizenzbestimmung

This software is free for personal use. You may use it on your own risk. You are free to copy and distribute the archive. When distributing and/or spreading the program you must not:

charge money

modify the archive.

No warranty for any damage or harm can be given - use on your own risk.

Note: If you want to use this software for teaching purposes in lectures, classes or courses (for schools, universities or other educational institutions) it is mandatory to obtain a permission from the author - please contact me.
I am happy for any feedback though.

Dieses Programm ist frei zur privaten Nutzung. Nutzung auf eigene Gefahr. Es ist erlaubt das Archiv zu kopieren oder zu verteilen. Wenn es angeboten oder verteilt wird darf nicht:

Geld verlangt werden

das Archiv irgendwie verändert werden.

Es wird keinerlei Haftung für Schäden jeglicher Art übernommen - die Benutzung erfolgt auf eigenes Risiko.

Anmerkung: Falls das Programm zu Lehrzwecken in Klassen, Kursen, Vorlesungen oder ähnlichem eingesetzt werden soll, ist es notwendig die Erlaubnis vom Autor dafür einzuholen. Bitte mich kontaktieren.

Requirements

This software is written in the language Hollywood and hence available for many systems, either as native application or as .hwa-applet code. There is no additional software required and it should run on any computer running one of the supported operating systems. Be sure, you have downloaded the program version for your particular operating system. You may need a processor better not less than 400 MHz and a few MB of available RAM as well as a screen resolution of at least 800*600 pixels and minimum 16 bit colour depth. For the non-Android versions you also need a keyboard. The touch version (=Android version) requires a touch screen of course
Android: Android 2.3 or better.

Installation

Once you've downloaded the archive, unpack it and copy it to any destination you like (target drive needs at least 2.3 MB free space). You may put it on your harddsik, on a usb key or even on a server. There is no special installation process required.

Nach beendetem Download, das Archiv entpacken und einfach in ein beliebiges Verzeichnis kopieren (das Ziellaufwerk benötigt wenigstens 2,3MB freien Speicherplatz). Das Programm kann auf eine Festplatte, einen usb-Stick oder auch auf einen Server kopiert werden. Es gibt keinen gesonderten Installationsprozess.

Usage

Just doubleclick the program icon. Once the splash screen has vanished the program starts with one window on a separate screen. If launched for the 1st time an EULA will presented to you first and afterwards you are put to settingsto enter a name and allow or disallow online data transmission. Once done the main window will get shown.
The program main window has a few buttons to chose from. At the bottom of the window results of the last test done are shown. Initially this area is blank of course, as there is no data to show yet.

Screenshot of the program with results of an actual test

There are currently eight different tests modes to chose from. These include simple tests, tests that need further discrimination from background or decision making.

Buttons:

Big Box: Test 1 - A big purple rectangle gets shown after a random time.

Single point:Test 2 - A single purple point gets shown at random position at random time.

Point with low contrast:Test 3 - A single light gray point gets shown at random position at random time.

Textured background:Test 4 - Purple points are shown on a naturally cluttered background at random time.

Strong colour difference:Test 5 - Either a single purple or yellow point gets shown at random position at random time.

Low colour difference:Test 6 - Either a single lightly purple or lightly pink point gets shown at random position at random time.

Movement isolated:Test 7 - A single spherule gets shown at random position and starts moving after a random time.

Movement complex:Test 8 - 42 spherules get shown at random positions and one starts moving after a random time.

bottom part:

All results: Exports a table containing all measured data since program start to a html file and shows this table in a browser window.

Online highscore: If online a webpage with the current highscore list will get opened with the default browser

Settings: Enter your player name and determine wether test results should get transmitted to the highscore list (default on)

Each test consists of 11 repetitions, the first trial doesn't get counted. It's a free shot to get into the actual test run. To avoid other attraction the program starts on its own screen and during a test all other items (including mouse pointer) get cleared.

Times of more than 1s are rated as invalid and will not get further evaluated. The 1s time is a reasonable value for all tests except maybe test #4 (cluttered background) and #8 (moving single object of a group).
Note: To make sure that you really measure the reaction time and not the times of some propagation or of a "nervous finger" pressing space (or s or k respectively) before the actual stimulus has appeared or started moving leads to a discard of the awaited trial. Additonally the time for that (not yet happened and discarded) trial is set to 10s and, in case of required colour decision, the decision result is set to false.
In short: Hit the key as quick as possible but not before the stimulus is actually ready.

Internally all actual values are stored and can get exported to a html file by clicking the button "All results". The html file will get stored at a directory called "Resutls" which gets created within the directory the R²Z binary resides in. Each stored result file name contains the current date and a counter. Once the file has been created a browser window will open and show the results. The exact name and path of the result file is obtainable from the browser's address field.
In case of test 5 & 6 not only the times get shown, but also whether the point had colour 1 or 2 and whether the user decided for colour 1 or 2. If the user pressed the key too early the value is set to 10 (stimulus) or 99 (user).
If you want to further process the data with a spreadsheet program (or what ever) just copy and paste the results from the html tables. <
The online highscore provides several highscore lists for overall results, scores of the day or the last 7 days. Determine with "Settings" how your player should get named and if you want to send data to the highscore datatbase (default on). If data transmission is disabled you can still transmit the score value of a single trial manually by clicking on the then appearing button.
Tipping or clicking on the three dots at the upper right corner opnes a menu with some self expalining options including quitting the program.

Download

Grab a copy for your particular system from here:

Touch edition:
V1.5 - Get the Android version from the Google Play Store.

Keyboard version:
V1.6 - Download MorphOS version (ppc)
V1.6 - Download Windows version (intel)
V1.6 - Download Amiga version (68k)
V1.6 - Download OS X (intel)
V1.6 - Download AROS (intel)
V1.6 - Download OS 4 (ppc)

The archives (except .apk file) are packed with lha or zip (Windows).

Note: You must not change the archive!

Versions for Linux (x86, ARM or ppc), OS X (ppc), AROS (ppc) and OS4 (ppc) are yet available on request only. Please mail for a copy.

FAQ

Windows says this program is potentially dangerous Well, it's not dangerous, but the binary is not signed and hence, the Windows smart screen warns about that issue. I don't want to judge whether that behaviour of Windows is good or bad in general but signing the program costs actual money. If you don't want Windows to annoy you with warnings you may self sign the program or ask me for a copy on a CD or usb stick (for a small fee).

I found a bug, want to discuss the data or methods, have a feature request or want to donate you a bag of gold ducates? Well, in that case don't hesitate to contact me.

History

V1.6 released on 05-Jul-2021
- new: 2 new tests (acoustic)
- some minor changes to get it compiled with Hollywood 9
- minor GUI rework to accomondate more buttons

V1.5 released on 09-Jun-2018
- new: Unicode support
- added: small countdown on each trial

V1.4 released on 14-Sep-2017
- new: If online transmission of scores is disabled, the score of a single trial can get transmitted manually now

V1.3 released on 26-May-2017
- new: Settings get saved now

V1.2 "touch edition" released on 17-May-2017
- new: Scoreresults and online highscore
- new: Menu
- new: settings for player name and online permission

V1.1 "touch edition" released on 26-November-2016
- improved UI and gfx

V1.0 "touch edition" released on 31-August-2016
- new: UI is touch based for this edition
- few things changed to adapt it for Android

V1.0 released on 19-February-2016
- new: data export (as html)
- improved: control panel windowed while actual test runs full screen
- improved: minor UI changes (buttons, tests)
- internal code improvements

V0.5.1 released on 23-June-2015
- new: automatic update availability notification (if online)
- some internal changes

V0.5 released on 18-June-2015
- new: detection whether a key has been pressed before actual stimuluspresentation
- fully localized (DE/EN) with autodetection of preferred language
- needs confirmation when quitting
- removed a bug when no trial was valid

V0.4 released on 11-June-2015
- initial public release

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Cheers!

Document history:

11-June-2015 this page started

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