ESM stimuli

Installing a set of ESM stimuli on an iPad

This is a simple set of stimuli for use in stimulation mapping. It’s offered simply to show one set of options, and how easy it is to develop your own stimuli/replicate published protocols.

It requires an iPad with the application Flashcards Deluxe and any cloud storage app (e.g., Dropbox) installed.

After installing Flashcards, choose to ‘add a deck’ from your Dropbox. After authenticating, this will create the folder: 

Dropbox/Apps/Flashcards Deluxe

Now, download a set of stimuli and save them to your dropbox (and unzip them). Each set of stimuli (deck) includes an excel file listing the stimuli, and (if pictures are involved) a ‘Media’ folder with the same name holding the images.

The files in this zip archive include:

  1. Visual object naming – standard and easy versions. These are taken from the openly available

    Philadelphia Naming Task.

  2. Auditory naming.

  3. Repetition stimuli.

  4. Reading stimuli, of varied complexity.

  5. Commands (auditory or written).

Upload these into the Flashcards Deluxe folder. Check on your iPad that these have synchronized.

Finally, within Flashcards Deluxe, choose to add a deck and select Dropbox as the source. Finally, select all the decks of stimuli listed above from within the Apps/Flashcard Deluxe folder. They will appear as a list of decks (tasks) you can present easily and rapidly.

Using the decks: Tips

During testing you will repeatedly run through each of the decks, cycling through all the stimuli multiple times.

  • Ensure you complete comprehensive baseline testing with the patient to find and remove stimuli that are unreliable in optimal conditions. You can exclude these by tapping the file button at the bottom center of the screen and selecting exclude. On the next cycle through the deck, this card will be left out.

  • Randomize stimulus order for interest and to maintain some complexity/unpredictability. Open a deck, and press the cog in the top right and change ‘Card Order’ to Random.

Adding decks

Adding decks is extremely easy, and there are detailed walk-throughs on the app website http://flashcardsdeluxe.com/Flashcards/