Stim File Archive May 2026

The Stim File Archive provides a practical, low-barrier solution for standardizing stimulation protocols. By decoupling stimulus definition from acquisition hardware, we enable more reproducible, shareable, and comparable neurophysiology experiments.

Availability: Archive and tools at https://github.com/yourlab/stim-file-archive (MIT license). stim file archive

The Stim ecosystem facilitates a pipeline where the .stim file acts as the central archive. The Stim File Archive provides a practical, low-barrier

Most Stim files rely on external assets: image libraries, sound banks, or specific emulator versions. A flat folder structure fails to capture these relationships. A proper archive catalogues the main .stim file alongside its dependencies, ensuring that what loads today will also load five years from now. The Stim ecosystem facilitates a pipeline where the

Search for "stim file" combined with specific emulator names. User c64preservation has uploaded several disk images containing .stim snapshots for Commodore 64 debugging.

Do not archive in place. Copy every .stim file from fragmented hard drives, old SD cards, or research lab servers to a single "staging" directory. Use a tool like dd (Unix) or FTK Imager (Windows) to capture the files without modifying their timestamps or metadata.

Background: Replicating neurophysiological experiments requires precise specification of stimulus parameters (e.g., waveform, timing, intensity). However, stimulation protocols are often described ambiguously in prose, leading to irreproducibility. Methods: We present the Stim File Archive (SFA) , a structured digital repository and file specification for storing, validating, and sharing auditory, electrical, and multimodal stimulation protocols. The SFA uses a JSON-based schema to encode temporal envelopes, carrier signals (e.g., tone pips, noise bursts, pulse trains), and electrode configurations. Results: We demonstrate the SFA’s utility by archiving 50 classic protocols from the literature (e.g., paired-pulse suppression, frequency-following responses). The SFA reduces protocol description ambiguity by 78% compared to natural language. Conclusion: The Stim File Archive promotes reproducibility, enables automated stimulus delivery across different hardware systems, and facilitates meta-analyses of stimulation parameters.