BrainVoyager is a highly optimized and user-friendly software package for the analysis and visualization of multi-modal brain imaging data, not only for structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging data sets but, since BV version 2.0, also for EEG and MEG data sets in combination with MR measurements. The program runs on all major computer platforms including Windows (XP, Vista), Linux (i.e., RedHat, SUSE) and Mac OS X (10.4+). In order to obtain maximum speed on each platform, BrainVoyager has been completely programmed in C++ with optimized and highly efficient statistical, numerical, and image processing routines.
The 3D graphics environment (“surface module”) has been implemented using OpenGL. The interactive graphical user interface was built using the award-winning cross-platform QT library. In combining the best cross-platform technology, BrainVoyager provides a native and responsive user interface on all supported platforms. For further details about the development of BrainVoyager, read the “Cerebral Success” press release.
BrainVoyager provides a comprehensive cross-platform solution embodied in a single product. The software allows easy exchange of data between platforms handling transparently potential byte order differences (“big endian” vs “little endian”). Data analyzed on one platform – Windows, for example – can be moved to another platform – such as Mac OS X on PowerPC – and further processed without problem.
Note, that BrainVoyager requires a HASP cross-platform dongle for a single computer. The HASP license system allows you to use the program on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. With your purchase of BrainVoyager, you will receive executables for all these platforms.
The comprehensive and powerful neuroimaging tool comes with many exciting features, such as:
- Extremely fast and highly optimized 2D and 3D analysis and visualization routines
- Volume and cortex-based hypothesis-driven statistical data analysis (i.e. GLM) including conjunction and random effects analysis
- Random effects ANCOVA analysis for advanced multi-factorial designs and correlation with external (i.e. behavioral) variables
- Dynamic statistical thresholding using the False Discovery Rate (FDR) approach for correction of multiple comparisons
- Cluster-size thresholding for correction of multiple comparisons (plugin)
- Multi-subject Volume-of-Interest (VOI) and surface Patch-of-Interest (POI) analysis
- Volume and cortex-based data-driven analysis using Independent Component Analysis (ICA)
- Multi-voxel pattern analysis
- Advanced methods for automatic brain segmentation, surface reconstruction, cortex inflation, and flattening
- Cortex-based inter-subject alignment based on gyral /sulcal pattern of individual brains going beyond Talairach space
- EEG-MEG Module allows distributed analysis of EEG and data on surface reconstructions of the subject’s cortex as well as the analysis and visualization of source activities starting from channel data sets and ending up with surface mesh time-course plots
- Integration of volume and surface rendering with powerful tools for the creation of high-quality figures and movies
- A neuronavigation module as part of the TMS Neuronavigator system
- Multi-processor support and an open architecture with documented file formats
- Cross-platform scripting support allows analysis of the data from many subjects in batch mode
- Cross-platform C++ plugin support which makes it possible to extend the functionality of BrainVoyager
- Windows version (v2.x) will support COM-based interfaces, which can be accessed with all major computer languages (i.e. C/C++, VB, Java) as well as from MATLAB
- The only complete solution running natively on all major computer platforms including Windows XP/Vista, several Linux versions and Mac OS X 10.4+; on 32 bit and 64 bit computer systems
