Since test version 3.4.3 (Autumn 2022), recording from webcam (video/audio) is being tested as a new feature. Currently, the following features are supported:

  • Experiments allow video recording to be switched on (in options)

  • All video (+audio) data are being collected and sent back to PsyToolkit account

  • Particpant will be asked to approve this in welcome screen

Changes in the syntax might follow in future versions.

Step 1

Ensure that you inform and ask participant for approval. When you setup the survey, look for the option This study requires video recording. Make sure this is ticked. If it is, the participant will be able to see him/herself during the welcome screen and allow further recording.

Step 2

In the experiment code, add the following line record video all to the options. A fully example of an experiment doing this is shown below this line:

options
  record video all

task testme
  keys b
  set &x increase
  set %xxx "Hello trial number" &x
  show text %xxx
  readkey 1 10000
  clear -1
  delay 500
  save RT

block testblock
  tasklist
    testme 5
  end

Now, call this experiment, for example, simple.

In your survey, then add the following lines:

l: my_exp
t: experiment
- simple
If you just compile this, a recording will be made but not yet stored on your account. Only if you embed this in a survey, the recorded data will be stored in a new folder called media_data. Currently the files will start with the label of the question. In this case, the video files will be split up and start with my_exp.

Step 3

After running your experiment, for each participant, there will be a folder with video files (media_data). The folders start with the particpant’s UUID (Universal Unique Identifier). A UUID is just a long random letter/number string.

IN PROGRESS: Download your data and you should find these files. All video files are in the webm file format (read more about this format on Wikipedia), but do currently not come with extension.

Files start with the number of the question. Thus, if the experiment is the second question in your survey, files will begin with q2. That is followed by a dot and then the part of the file follows. If there are three files in your video, then you will have files q2.1, q2.2, and q3.3. Ideally you just concatenate these files (in future, PsyToolkit will do this). You can also just play these files in a video player such as VLC.