Maze Suite 1.0: a complete set of tools to prepare, present, and analyze navigational and spatial cognitive neuroscience experiments

Abstract

Maze Suite is a complete set of tools that enables researchers to perform spatial and navigational behavioral experiments within interactive, easy-to-create, and extendable (e.g., multiple rooms) 3-D virtual environments. Maze Suite can be used to design and edit adapted 3-D environments, as well as to track subjects' behavioral performance. Maze Suite consists of three main applications: an editing program for constructing maze environments (MazeMaker), a visualization/rendering module (MazeWalker), and an analysis and mapping tool (MazeViewer). Each of these tools is run and used from a graphical user interface, thus making editing, execution, and analysis user friendly. MazeMaker is a .NET architecture application that can easily be used to create new 3-D environments and to edit objects (e.g., geometric shapes, pictures, landscapes, etc.) or add them to the environment effortlessly. In addition, Maze Suite has the capability of sending signal-out pulses to physiological recording devices, using standard computer ports. Maze Suite, with all three applications, is a unique and complete toolset for researchers who want to easily and rapidly deploy interactive 3-D environments.