PatchDispenser

The PatchDispenser (Aeon.Foraging) node keeps track of the number of pellets available to the foraging patch, generating events for each dispensed pellet, detailing the number of remaining pellets and the reason a pellet was dispensed. Additionally, it constructs a visualiser and a control panel for controlling the basic and manual functions of the foraging patch. This node accepts pellet discount notifications triggered by the IR beam break following each successful pellet delivery, and discounts these from the total number of remaining pellets, which is itself set manually in the control panel when loading the foraging patch hopper. The state of the dispenser is stored in a StateRecoverySubject to retain the status of the foraging patch in the event of a breakdown that requires restarting the workflow.

Inputs

Harp.Timestamped<bool> events emitted by the UndergroundFeeder node indicating pellet delivery.

Outputs

Stream of custom class Aeon.Foraging.DispenserEventArgs. Each item emitted consists of a “Value” (int) corresponding to the pellet count following an event, and an “EventType” (Aeon.Foraging.DispenserEventType) describing the reason for the new pellet count, i.e. due to a triggered “Discount”, or “Reset” or “Refill” command from the control panel.

Properties

General

Property name	Description
Name	Set the name to identify this specific dispenser module. e.g. “Patch1”

Subjects

Events (outputs) from the PatchDispenser node are published to shared Subjects, the names of which are configured in the properties of the node. These subjects then become accessible in the Bonsai editor’s toolbox for use elsewhere for logging and visualisation.

Device event subjects

Subject name	Property Type	Expected Data Type	Description
ControllerEvents	string	Aeon.Foraging.DispenserEventArgs	Controller events shared Subject, carrying the number of remaining pellets (int) and the EventType. Also output directly by the node
DispenserState	string	Tuple<double,double,double>	Declared StateRecoverySubject to store the current Threshold, D1, and Delta parameters of the pellet dispenser

Usage

Place a SubscribeSubject and set the name property to the “PelletDelivered” Subject for a patch (e.g. “Patch1PelletDelivered”). Connect this to a Condition node that checks the Value of the incoming Subject. This is a Boolean that reports True on pellet delivery, and ensures only the rising edge of this signal is counted as a delivery. Place and configure the properties of a PatchDispenser node, setting the names of the output Subjects.