A Function Generator for Neurophysiological Applications

A function generator is described that basically generates a trapezoidal waveform whose leading and trailing ramps and positive and negative plateaus can be varied in duration, independently, between 0.5 ms and 50 s. By appropriate interconnections between the constituent units of the generator, a total of 12 different waveforms are generated, including triangular, sinusoidal, square, rectangular, and sawtooth waveforms. The output may be either free running or externally triggered to produce an adjustable integral number of cycles.