Finger Drumming Task

Technical Manual

Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Created: January 28, 2017

Last Modified: January 15, 2024 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC

Background

This script implements a Finger Drumming Task, a test of fine motor skills, for a touchscreen device. Note: script checks for a touchscreen - aborts script if no touchscreen is detected

Duration

12 minutes

Description

Participants are asked to use their fingers of either the left or your right hand to drum sequences on their touchscreen.

3 versions: for all 3 versions, participants are asked to adjust the screen position of 4 buttons (one button for index finger, middle finger, ring finger and pinky each).

Version 1: tap 4 buttons in sequence, starting with index finger to pinky. Timelimit enforced. Version 2: tap 4 buttons in sequence, starting with pinky to index finger. Timelimit enforced. Version 3: tap any of the 4 buttons in a (randomly) selected sequence. Timelimit enforced.

Procedure

2 hands: order of left-right hand is counterbalanced by groupnumber
odd groupumbers: run right hand first
even groupnumbers: run left hand first

Participants are asked to adjust the size of the response buttons at the start of the task
( a min = 5% and max = 18% sizeare enforced).
Participants are asked to adjust the screen position of 4 buttons (one button for
index finger, middle finger, ring finger and pinky each) for each hand.
blocks run in random order (to change order go to section EXPERIMENT)

All versions start off with a practice run. After completion of 3 sequences, the task starts with the
appearance of a timer.

Version 1: tap 4 buttons in sequence, starting with index finger to pinky. Timelimit of 1 minute (default) enforced
Version 2: tap 4 buttons in sequence, starting with pinky to index finger. Timelimit of 1 minute (default) enforced.
In both versions, an incorrect tap highlights the missed button which needs to be pressed in order to move
ahead in the sequence

Version 3: tap any of the 4 buttons in a (randomly) selected sequence. The selected button
is highlighted in yellow. An incorrect button press presents feedback and alerts participants that
they have to press the highlighted button to move ahead. Timelimit of 1 minute (default) enforced.

Stimuli

buttons appear gray on black with black finger labeling.
Size of buttons can be adjusted under section Editable Parameters.

Instructions

provided by Millisecond - can be edited under section Editable Instructions

Summary Data

File Name: fingerdrummingtask_summary*.iqdat

Data Fields

NameDescription
inquisit.version Inquisit version number
computer.platform Device platform: win | mac |ios | android
startDate Date the session was run
startTime Time the session was run
subjectId Participant ID
groupId Group number
sessionId Session number
elapsedTime Session duration in ms
completed 0 = Test was not completed
1 = Test was completed
lhCompletedSequencesV1 Stores the number of completed sequences for left hand version1
lhAccV1 Stores the proportion correct taps for left hand version1
lhMeanRTV1 Stores the mean latency (in ms) of correct taps in non-error trials for left hand version1
rhCompletedSequencesV1 Stores the number of completed sequences for right hand version1
speed and accuracy are necessary for a high number of completed sequences
rhAccV1 Stores the proportion correct taps for right hand version1
rhMeanRTV1 Stores the mean latency (in ms) of correct taps in non-error trials for right hand version1
version2
lhCompletedSequencesV2 Stores the number of completed sequences for left hand version2
lhAccV2 Stores the proportion correct taps for left hand version2
lhMeanRTV2 Stores the mean latency (in ms) of correct taps in non-error trials for left hand version2
rhCompletedSequencesV2 Stores the number of completed sequences for right hand version2
speed and accuracy are necessary for a high number of completed sequences
rhAccV2 Stores the proportion correct taps for right hand version2
rhMeanRTV2 Stores the mean latency (in ms) of correct taps in non-error trials for right hand version2
version3
lhCompletedSequencesV3 Stores the number of completed sequences for left hand version3
lhAccV3 Stores the proportion correct taps for left hand version3
lhMeanRTV3 Stores the mean latency (in ms) of correct taps in non-error trials for left hand version3
rhCompletedSequencesV3 Stores the number of completed sequences for right hand version3
speed and accuracy are necessary for a high number of completed sequences
rhAccV3 Stores the proportion correct taps for right hand version3
rhMeanRTV3 Stores the mean latency (in ms) of correct taps in non-error trials for right hand version3

Raw Data

File Name: fingerdrummingtask_raw*.iqdat

Data Fields

NameDescription
build Inquisit version number
computer.platform Device platform: win | mac |ios | android
date Date the session was run
time Time the session was run
subject Participant ID
group Group number
session Session number
blockCode Name of the current block
blockNum Number of the current block
trialCode Name of the current trial
trialNum Number of the current trial
hand 1 = Left Hand (LH); 2 = Right Hand (RH)
version 3 versions: 1 vs. 2 vs. 3
test 1 = timed test; 0 = untimed practice (first 3 sequences)
countTaps A tap counter
index Helper variable to determine the current tap in the sequence (index of the current tapsequence list)
nextIndex Helper variable to determine the next tap in the sequence
currentButton Stores the number of the current button in the sequence
4 = pinky
3 = ring
2 = middle
1 = index
response The participant's response
resp Participants selected button number
correct Accuracy of response: 1 = INITIAL correct response; 0 = otherwise
latency The response latency (in ms) of the current latency (correct latency)
(for initially incorrect responses, latency will include an error adjustment penalty)
countCompletedSequences A counter of how many sequences were completed
buttonSize Helper variable that stores the current button size (in percentage)

Parameters

The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.

NameDescriptionDefault
buttonSize The size of the response buttons in proportion to canvas height at script start 10%
timeoutV1 The time limit (in ms) for version 1 60000ms
timeoutV2 The time limit (in ms) for version 2 60000ms
timeoutV3 The time limit (in ms) for version 3 60000ms
correctSequenceV1 Stores the correct sequence for version 1 (starting at index: 1 to pinky: 4)
correctSequenceV2 Stores the correct sequence for version 2 (starting at pinky: 4 to index: 1)