Monitor
Monitor(
obj,
variables=[],
period=None,
period_offset=None,
start=True,
name=None,
net_id=0,
)Object allowing to record variables from Population, PopulationView, Dendrite or Projection instances.
This object should not be created directly, but returned by Network.monitor():
m = net.monitor(pop, ['g_exc', 'v', 'spike'], period=10.0, start=False)Monitors are started by default after compile(). You can control their recording behavior with the start(), stop(), pause() and resume() methods.
m.start() # Start recording
net.simulate(T)
m.pause() # Pause recording
net.simulate(T)
m.resume() # Resume recording
net.simulate(T)
data = m.get() # Get the dataFor spiking networks recording 'spike', some utilities allow to easily compute raster plots /other statistics or mean firing rates over time/neuron axes:
spikes = m.get('spike')
t, n = m.raster_plot(spikes)
histo = m.histogram()
isi = m.inter_spike_interval(spikes)
cov = m.coefficient_of_variation(spikes)
fr = m.mean_fr(spikes)
r = m.smoothed_rate(spikes, smooth=100.)
r_mean = m.population_rate(spikes, smooth=100.)Attributes
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| period | Period of recording in milliseconds. |
| period_offset | Offset of recording within a period, in milliseconds. |
| variables | Current list of recorded variables. |
Methods
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| get | Returns the recorded variables and empties the buffer. |
| start | Starts recording the variable. |
| pause | Pauses the recording. |
| resume | Resumes the recording. |
| stop | Stops the recording. |
| reset | Reset the monitor to its initial state. |
| save | Saves the recorded variables as a Numpy array (first dimension is time, second is neuron index). |
| times | Returns the start and stop times (in ms) of the recorded variables as a dictionary. |
| raster_plot | Returns two numpy arrays representing for each recorded spike 1) the spike times and 2) the ranks of the neurons. |
| histogram | Returns a histogram for the recorded spikes in the population. |
| inter_spike_interval | Computes the inter-spike intervals (ISI) for the recorded spikes in the population. |
| coefficient_of_variation | Computes the coefficient of variation for the recorded spikes in the population. |
| mean_fr | Computes the mean firing rate in the population during the recordings. |
| smoothed_rate | Computes the smoothed firing rate of the recorded spiking neurons. |
| population_rate | Computes a smoothed firing rate for the population of recorded neurons. |
get
get(variables=None, keep=False, reshape=False, force_dict=False)Returns the recorded variables and empties the buffer.
The recorded data is returned as a Numpy array (first dimension is time, second is neuron index).
If a single variable name is provided, the recorded values for this variable are directly returned as an array. If a list is provided or the argument left empty, a dictionary with all recorded variables is returned.
The spike variable of a population will be returned as a dictionary of lists, where the key is the neuron index, and the list contains the spike times (in steps; multiply by net.dt to get spike times in milliseconds) for each recorded neurons.
Parameters
| Name | Type | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| variables | str | list[str] | (list of) variables. By default, a dictionary with all variables is returned. | None |
| keep | bool | defines if the content in memory for each variable should be kept (default: False). | False |
| reshape | bool | transforms the second axis of the array to match the population’s geometry (default: False). | False |
start
start(variables=None, period=None)Starts recording the variable.
It is called automatically after Network.compile() if the flag start=False was not passed to the constructor.
Parameters
| Name | Type | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| variables | list | single variable name or list of variable names to start recording (default: the variables argument passed to the constructor). |
None |
| period | float | delay in ms between two recording (default: dt). Not valid for the spike variable of a Population(View). |
None |
pause
pause()Pauses the recording.
resume
resume()Resumes the recording.
stop
stop()Stops the recording.
Warning: This will delete the content of the C++ object and all data not previously retrieved is lost.
reset
reset()Reset the monitor to its initial state.
save
save(filename, variables=None, keep=False, reshape=False, force_dict=False)Saves the recorded variables as a Numpy array (first dimension is time, second is neuron index).
If a single variable name is provided, the recorded values for this variable are directly saved. If a list is provided or the argument left empty, a dictionary with all recorded variables is saved.
The spike variable of a population will be returned as a dictionary of lists containing the spike times (in steps; multiply by net.dt to get spike times in milliseconds) for each recorded neurons.
Parameters
| Name | Type | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| filename | str | name of the save file. | required |
| variables | str | list[str] | (list of) variables. By default, a dictionary with all variables is returned. | None |
| keep | bool | defines if the content in memory for each variable should be kept (default: False). | False |
| reshape | bool | transforms the second axis of the array to match the population’s geometry (default: False). | False |
times
times(variables=None)Returns the start and stop times (in ms) of the recorded variables as a dictionary.
It should only be called after a call to get(), so that it describes when the variables have been recorded.
Parameters
| Name | Type | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| variables | list[str] | (list of) variables. By default, the times for all variables is returned. | None |
raster_plot
raster_plot(spikes=None)Returns two numpy arrays representing for each recorded spike 1) the spike times and 2) the ranks of the neurons.
Example:
m = net.monitor(pop, 'spike')
net.simulate(1000.0)
t, n = m.raster_plot()
plt.plot(t, n, '.')or:
m = net.monitor(pop, 'spike')
net.simulate(1000.0)
spikes = m.get('spike')
t, n = m.raster_plot(spikes)
plt.plot(t, n, '.')Parameters
| Name | Type | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| spikes | dict | the dictionary of spikes returned by get('spike'). If left empty, get('spike') will be called. Beware: this erases the data from memory. |
None |
histogram
histogram(spikes=None, bins=None, per_neuron=False, recording_window=None)Returns a histogram for the recorded spikes in the population.
m = net.monitor(pop, 'spike')
net.simulate(1000.0)
spikes = m.get('spike')
histo = m.histogram(spikes)
plt.plot(histo)Parameters
| Name | Type | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| spikes | the dictionary of spikes returned by get('spike'). If left empty, get('spike') will be called. Beware: this erases the data from memory. |
None |
|
| bins | the bin size in ms (default: dt). | None |
inter_spike_interval
inter_spike_interval(spikes=None, ranks=None, per_neuron=False)Computes the inter-spike intervals (ISI) for the recorded spikes in the population.
m = net.monitor(pop, 'spike')
net.simulate(1000.0)
spikes = m.get('spike')
isi = m.inter_spike_interval(spikes)
plt.hist(isi)Parameters
| Name | Type | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| spikes | dict | the dictionary of spikes returned by get('spike'). If left empty, get('spike') will be called. Beware: this erases the data from memory. |
None |
| ranks | list[int] | a list of neurons that should be evaluated. By default None, all neurons are evaluated. |
None |
| per_neuron | bool | if set to True, the computed inter-spike intervals are stored per neuron (analog to spikes), otherwise all values are stored in one huge vector (default: False). | False |
coefficient_of_variation
coefficient_of_variation(spikes=None, ranks=None)Computes the coefficient of variation for the recorded spikes in the population.
m = net.monitor(pop, 'spike')
net.simulate(1000.0)
spikes = m.get('spike')
cov = m.coefficient_of_variation(spikes)
plt.hist(isi):ranks: a list of neurons that should be evaluated. By default (None), all neurons are evaluated.
Parameters
| Name | Type | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| spikes | dict | the dictionary of spikes returned by get('spike'). If left empty, get('spike') will be called. Beware: this erases the data from memory. |
None |
mean_fr
mean_fr(spikes=None)Computes the mean firing rate in the population during the recordings.
m = net.monitor(pop, 'spike')
net.simulate(1000.0)
spikes = m.get('spike')
fr = m.mean_fr(spikes)Parameters
| Name | Type | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| spikes | dict | the dictionary of spikes returned by get('spike'). If left empty, get('spike') will be called. Beware: this erases the data from memory. |
None |
smoothed_rate
smoothed_rate(spikes=None, smooth=0.0)Computes the smoothed firing rate of the recorded spiking neurons.
The first axis is the neuron index, the second is time.
m = net.monitor(pop, 'spike')
net.simulate(1000.0)
spikes = m.get('spike')
r = m.smoothed_rate(spikes, smooth=100.)Parameters
| Name | Type | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| spikes | dict | the dictionary of spikes returned by get('spike'). If left empty, get('spike') will be called. Beware: this erases the data from memory. |
None |
| smooth | float | smoothing time constant. Default: 0.0 (no smoothing). | 0.0 |
population_rate
population_rate(spikes=None, smooth=0.0)Computes a smoothed firing rate for the population of recorded neurons.
This method is faster than calling smoothed_rate and then averaging.
If spikes is left empty, get('spike') will be called. Beware: this erases the data from memory.
Example:
m = net.monitor(P[:1000], 'spike')
net.simulate(1000.0)
spikes = m.get('spike')
r = m.population_rate(spikes, smooth=100.)Parameters
| Name | Type | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| spikes | dict | the dictionary of spikes returned by get('spike'). |
None |
| smooth | float | smoothing time constant. Default: 0.0 (no smoothing). | 0.0 |