braintools.input.section

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braintools.input.section#

braintools.input.section(values, durations, return_length=False)#

Format an input current with different sections.

Create a piecewise constant current input where each section has a specified value and duration. This is useful for creating experimental protocols with different stimulation phases.

Parameters:

  • values (Sequence) – The current values for each period. Can be scalars or arrays. If arrays, they must be broadcastable to a common shape. Supports units (e.g., pA, nA).

  • durations (Sequence) – The duration for each period. Must have same length as values. Supports time units (e.g., ms, s).

  • return_length (bool) – If True, returns a tuple (current, total_duration). If False, returns only the current array. Default is False.

Returns:

  • current (ndarray or Quantity) – The formatted current array with shape (n_timesteps,) or (n_timesteps, …) for array values.

  • total_duration (Quantity, optional) – Total duration (only if return_length=True).

Raises:

ValueError – If lengths of values and durations don’t match.

Examples

>>> import brainunit as u
>>> import brainstate
>>> brainstate.environ.set(dt=0.1 * u.ms)

Simple step protocol

>>> current = section(
...     values=[0, 10, 0] * u.pA,
...     durations=[100, 200, 100] * u.ms
... )

Multiple channel input

>>> import numpy as np
>>> values = [np.zeros(3), np.ones(3) * 5, np.zeros(3)] * u.nA
>>> current = section(
...     values=values,
...     durations=[50, 100, 50] * u.ms
... )

Get both current and duration

>>> current, duration = section(
...     values=[0, 1, 2, 1, 0] * u.pA,
...     durations=[20, 20, 40, 20, 20] * u.ms,
...     return_length=True
... )
>>> print(f"Total duration: {duration}")

Complex protocol with different phases

>>> protocol_values = [0, 2, 5, 10, 5, 2, 0] * u.pA
>>> protocol_durations = [50, 30, 30, 100, 30, 30, 50] * u.ms
>>> current = section(protocol_values, protocol_durations)

Notes

The function handles unit conversions automatically. All values are converted to the same unit as the first value, and all durations are converted to the dt time unit.

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