Background
It doesn't matter which experiment generator you use to run your
computer-based Psychology experiments the Black Box ToolKit
hand-held USB response button helps improve your millisecond
reaction time (RT) accuracy in custom applications or where a
BBTK USB response pad cannot be used.
Truly plug in and play as our USB response button appears to your
computer as a second keyboard and each external button press
produces a standard key press!
Works on any platform including iPads, Android tablets and phones.
Millisecond accurate hand-held USB response button key
features

Simply plug into a USB port
on your PC/Mac/Linux system and our hand-held button will appear
as a second keyboard. Also works on any platform including Apple
iPads, Android tablets and phones with appropriate adapter. Press
the button and a standard keystroke will be sent to your
experiment.
No need for drivers, no need to recode! Works out of the box with
E-Prime, SuperLab, Presentation, Inquisit, PsychoPy or any other
software or platform that can accept standard keyboard responses.
The hand-held response button is intended for custom applications
where our
1-8 button USB response pad
cannot be used.

Our
response buttons aim to reduce inconsistencies and improve your
Response Time accuracy compared with using standard keyboards,
mice or competitors devices.
*Remember although our hand-held USB response button
hardware is millisecond accurate and helps reduce RT variability
in your experiments it cannot automatically correct for any
mistimings that are inherent within the experiment generator or
other hardware you use.
For example, if your experiment generator presents an image and
does not check for a response in a timely fashion, your OS
intervenes, or an anti-virus check runs, your Response Times
will remain inaccurate regardless of the quality of the response
device. What | Why
| How
Key features
- One button millisecond accurate response device
- Single high quality push-to-make/momentary button
- Full-speed USB 2.0 (compatible with USB 3.0)
- Supplied with 2.0m USB A male cable (like a
keyboard)
- Appears as second standard HID compliant keyboard
- Fully Plug and Play
- Windows/Mac/Linux compatible
- iOS & Android compatible for tablets and phones
- Sends a standard keystroke when button is pressed
- Easily select a response keystroke to use
- Reliably detects button presses in millionths of a
second
|
- Registers button presses and sends keystrokes in
under one millisecond*
- Platforms supported:
- Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Vista SP2 (32/64),
Windows 7 SP1 (32/64), Windows 8 (32/64), Windows 10
(32/64), Windows 11 (64 bit)
- macOS / iOS
- Linux
- Android
|
Typical uses

The hand-held response
button is used in custom applications where high accuracy and
reliability is required and our
1-8 button USB
response pad is unsuitable. It has a single high quality
push-to-make button/momentary switch housed in a rubberized
ergonomically designed grip.
For larger orders you have the option of changing how the cable
terminates rather than using an adapter for tablet or phone
platforms. Maximum cable length is 5 m as per USB 2.0
specifications.
Technical specifications
- Robust ergonomically designed rubber grip --
Dimensions: 80 mm x 20 mm diameter (LxDia)
- 1x high quality push-to-make/momentary button
- Full-Speed USB 2.0 (USB 3.0 compatible)
- Appears to the host PC/Mac/Linux system as a
standard HID keyboard (no drivers required)
- iOS & Android compatible for tablets and phones
- Meets full USB HID keyboard specifications
- Easily configure which keystroke is sent when the
button is pressed
- Stores selected keystroke even when powered off
|
- Checks for a button press 130,208 times a second
(130.2 kHz sampling rate)
- Typical time to recognize a button press 13.9
millionths of a second (13.9 µs)
- Typical time to transmit keystroke(s) to PC after
detecting a button down 161 millionths of a second
(161 µs) -- transmitted on first available USB packet
- Typical time to recognize a button up 75 millionths
of a second (75 µs)
- 50 ms button up debounce (a button has to be cleanly
up for 50 ms before a key up signal is sent to the PC)#
|
#This can add 50 ms to button down durations – onsets
or RT's are unaffected as these are sent to the host PC
immediately. ALL standard keyboards and other response boxes
typically have longer debouncing periods.
*Remember although our hand-held USB response
buttons are millisecond accurate and help reduce RT
variability in your experiments they can't automatically
correct for any mistimings that are inherent within the
experiment generator you use. Hardware capable of
sub-millisecond accuracy. Timing accuracy tied to PC or
experiment generator used.
Unless otherwise labelled, all products offered for sale by
The Black Box ToolKit Ltd are for academic
study and/or research use only.