Diplacusis Self-Tester

💻 Windows Setup Guide

1. Install Python (if needed):
   Open the Microsoft Store, search for Python 3.12 (or latest), and click Get/Install.
   Alternative: Download the official installer from python.org. Ensure you check the box that says "Add python.exe to PATH" during installation.
2. Test Running the Script:
   Open Command Prompt (Press Win + R, type cmd, press Enter) and run:
   

   python "C:\path\to\your\diplacusis.py"

   (Replace path\to\your\ with where you had uploaded the script)
   Your browser (Chrome/Edge) will automatically open showing the interactive tester interface.
3. Create a One-Click Desktop Shortcut:
   • (If you locate your script in your File Explorer/Finder, you can right-click COPY PATH in order to obtain the full path needed in the following steps.
   • To locate the path for python interpreter itself, consult the web for your particular OS
   • Right-click on your Windows Desktop → New → Shortcut.
   • In the location field, enter the full path to Python followed by your script location. For example:

     python.exe "C:\Users\YourName\Documents\diplacusis.py"

   • Click Next, name the shortcut Diplacusis Tester, and click Finish.
   • If you are updating your version of the diplacusis script, be sure to exit out of your terminal/command prompt and close your diplacusis app browser window. Upon re-launch you may need to do a "hard" browser refresh.

🍎 macOS Setup Guide

1. Check / Install Python:
   macOS comes with Python built-in or accessible via Xcode tools. Open Terminal (Press Cmd + Space, type Terminal) and run:

   python3 --version

   If prompted to install Developer Tools, click Install.
2. Test Running the Script:
   In Terminal, execute the script by running:

   python3 ~/Downloads/diplacusis.py

   Your browser (Safari/Chrome) will launch automatically with the tester interface.
3. Create a One-Click Launch App (Automator):
   • Open the Automator app on your Mac.
   • Choose New Document → Select Application.
   • In the search bar, look for "Run Shell Script" and double-click it.
   • Paste the launch command into the box:

     /usr/bin/python3 ~/Downloads/diplacusis.py

   • Go to File → Save, name it Diplacusis Tester, and save it to your Desktop.

🎧 Usage Instructions

• Headphones Required: Always perform tests using stereo earphones or headphones.
• Trilling Shortcut: Use hotkeys 1 (Left Ear Only) and 3 (Right Ear Only) to alternate between ears rapidly ("trill") while adjusting the detune sliders until the perceived pitch matches.
• The app assumes you either have skills for relative pitch or pitch matching/comparison. Diplacusis skewed perception can be very subtle, especially if distortions are introduced in the inner ear.
• Log Offset: Press L or click Log Offset to record pitch measurements and subjective acoustic characteristics (amplitude drop, harmonics, unmatchable pitch). The app produces pure tone fundamental sine waves (similar to a flute without its harmonics). Without diplacusis, the left vs. right comparison should be identical.
• If you have difficulty discerning the pitch (amplitude is very soft, there are harmonics/distortions, or it's just not matchable/recognizable, check one of the three checkboxes before moving on to clicking a next pitch to test. This will make a notation in the Skew log
• Use the bottom horizontal slider to move the keyboard range to test additional pitches.
• COPY will copy the logged skew deviations to your clipboard. At a future date, we may offer a separate app to read the results and graph them in order to track the skew changes over time (typically every few months it will change).
• Close App: Close the (command) terminal window or press Space to stop audio playback.

🎧 Windows Desktop Icon Creation Details

Step 1: Find Your Python Executable Path
Before making the shortcut, you need the exact location of the Python interpreter (or virtual environment) you want to use.
• Standard Python install. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell, type where python, and press Enter to copy the full path (e.g., C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312\python.exe).
• Virtual environment (venv). Locate the python.exe inside your project's environment folder (e.g., C:\path\to\project\.venv\Scripts\python.exe).
• Background scripts without a console. Use pythonw.exe instead of python.exe if your script has a graphical interface (GUI) and you do not want a black terminal window to appear.

Step 2: Create the Desktop Shortcut
Once you have both paths, build the shortcut directly on your desktop. • Open the shortcut wizard. Right-click an empty space on your Windows 11 desktop, hover over New, and select Shortcut.
• Enter the target command. Paste the full path to python.exe, add a space, and paste the full path to your .py file. Wrap both paths in double quotes if either contains spaces (e.g., "C:\Path\To\python.exe" "C:\Path\To\your_script.py").
• Name your icon. Click Next, type a display name for the desktop icon, and click Finish.