Low-cost USB interface for operant research using Arduino and Visual Basic.

Escobar et al. (2015) wrote a how-to guide. They show you how to wire an Arduino to a PC with Visual Basic. The code is only 52 lines.

You get eight micro relays. They can turn on lights, feeders, or anything that runs on five volts. The whole thing costs less than one commercial interface.

This is a tech note, not an experiment. The authors give the wiring diagram and the script. They say it works, but they do not run animals or people with it.

THOMPSOELLIOTT et al. (1962) did the same thing with solder and resistors. Their circuit gave timed pulses without a computer. Rogelio swaps the solder for code, but the goal is identical: cheap, custom control.

Dixon (2003) also used Visual Basic. Instead of an Arduino, he tapped a Pocket PC for data logging. Both papers hand you free code so you can skip the pricey systems.

E et al. (2009, 2012, 2003, 2007) built microswitch rigs for people with severe disabilities. They prove that simple electronics can detect tiny responses and deliver reinforcers. Rogelio’s interface could run those switches, but he leaves the clinical testing to you.

If you have a small clinic or a classroom lab, you can build this interface in one afternoon. You control lights, sounds, or feeders with millisecond timing. No grant needed. Try it next time you want to set up a new operant task but the budget is zero.