pycbsdk
Python bindings for the CereLink SDK, providing real-time access to Blackrock Neurotech Cerebus neural signal processors.
Built on cffi (ABI mode) — no compiler needed at install time.
Installation
pip install pycbsdk
# With numpy support (zero-copy array access for continuous data)
pip install pycbsdk[numpy]
Windows prerequisite: The bundled shared library requires the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable. Most Windows systems already have it installed. If you get a DLL load error, download it from Microsoft.
Quick Start
from pycbsdk import Session
import time
with Session("HUB1") as session:
# Register a callback for spike events
@session.on_event("FRONTEND")
def on_spike(header, data):
print(f"Spike on channel {header.chid} at t={header.time}")
# Register a callback for 30kHz continuous data
@session.on_group(5, as_array=True)
def on_continuous(header, samples):
# samples is a numpy int16 array of shape (n_channels,)
print(f"Group packet: {len(samples)} channels")
time.sleep(10)
print(session.stats)
Features
- Callback-driven: decorator-based registration for event, group, config, and catch-all packet callbacks
- Context manager: automatic cleanup on exit
- numpy integration (optional): zero-copy arrays for continuous data,
ring buffer accumulator, blocking
read_continuous()collector - Device support: LEGACY_NSP, NSP, HUB1, HUB2, HUB3, NPLAY
API Overview
Session
session = Session(device_type="HUB1", callback_queue_depth=16384)
Callbacks (decorator style):
| Decorator | Description |
|---|---|
@session.on_event("FRONTEND") |
Spike / event packets for a channel type |
@session.on_group(5) |
Continuous sample group (1-6) |
@session.on_group(5, as_array=True) |
Same, but data as numpy array |
@session.on_config(pkt_type) |
Config / system packets |
@session.on_packet() |
All packets (catch-all) |
session.on_error(fn) |
Error messages |
Configuration access:
session.get_channel_label(chan_id)— channel label stringsession.get_channel_smpgroup(chan_id)— channel's sample group (0-6)session.get_group_channels(group_id)— list of channel IDs in a groupsession.runlevel— current device run levelSession.max_chans(),Session.num_fe_chans(),Session.num_analog_chans()
Commands:
session.send_comment("marker text", rgba=0xFF0000)— inject a commentsession.set_digital_output(chan_id, value)— set digital outputsession.set_runlevel(level)— change system run levelsession.set_sample_group(n, "FRONTEND", group_id)— configure samplingsession.set_spike_sorting(n, "FRONTEND", sort_options)— configure spike sorting
CCF Configuration Files:
session.save_ccf("config.ccf")— save current device config to XML filesession.load_ccf("config.ccf")— load config from file and apply to device
Recording Control (requires Central):
session.start_central_recording("filename", comment="session 1")— start recordingsession.stop_central_recording()— stop recording
Clock Synchronization:
# Convert device timestamp to Python's time.monotonic()
@session.on_event("FRONTEND")
def on_spike(header, data):
t = session.device_to_monotonic(header.time)
latency_ms = (time.monotonic() - t) * 1000
print(f"Spike latency: {latency_ms:.1f} ms")
session.device_to_monotonic(device_time_ns)— convert device timestamp totime.monotonic()secondssession.clock_offset_ns— raw clock offset (device_ns - steady_clock_ns), or Nonesession.clock_uncertainty_ns— uncertainty (half-RTT), or Nonesession.send_clock_probe()— send a sync probe
Statistics:
stats = session.stats # Stats dataclass
print(stats.packets_received, stats.packets_dropped)
session.reset_stats()
numpy Integration
Requires pip install pycbsdk[numpy].
# Blocking data collection
data = session.read_continuous(group_id=5, duration=2.0)
# data.shape == (n_channels, ~60000), dtype int16
# Ring buffer for ongoing collection
reader = session.continuous_reader(group_id=5, buffer_seconds=10)
import time; time.sleep(5)
data = reader.read() # most recent samples
data = reader.read(1000) # last 1000 samples
print(reader.total_samples, reader.dropped)
reader.close()
Supported Devices
| Device Type | Description |
|---|---|
LEGACY_NSP |
Legacy NSP (default) |
NSP |
NSP |
HUB1 |
Gemini Hub 1 |
HUB2 |
Gemini Hub 2 |
HUB3 |
Gemini Hub 3 |
NPLAY |
nPlay |
Development
# Build the shared library
cmake -S . -B build -DCBSDK_BUILD_SHARED=ON -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
cmake --build build --target cbsdk_shared --config Release
# Install pycbsdk in development mode
cd pycbsdk
pip install -e ".[dev,numpy]"
# Point to the shared library
export CBSDK_LIB_PATH=/path/to/libcbsdk.dll # or .so / .dylib
License
BSD 2-Clause. See LICENSE.txt.
1 maintainer
Metadata
1 maintainer
Release files for pycbsdk 10.3.0
For a detailed explanation of source distributions (sdists) and built distributions (wheels), please see the package formats documentation.
Source distribution (sdist)
| File | Size | Uploaded | |
|---|---|---|---|
| pycbsdk-10.3.0.tar.gz | 102.7 kB | Details |
Built distributions (wheels)
| File | Interpreter | ABI | Platform | Reset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pycbsdk-10.3.0-py3-none-win_amd64.whl | Python 3 | none | Windows x86-64 | Details |
| pycbsdk-10.3.0-py3-none-manylinux_2_39_x86_64.whl | Python 3 | none | Linux glibc 2.39+ x86-64 | Details |
| pycbsdk-10.3.0-py3-none-macosx_26_0_universal2.whl | Python 3 | none | macOS 26.0+ universal2 (ARM64, x86-64) | Details |
Total release size: 1.8 MB
Release files / pycbsdk-10.3.0.tar.gz
| Download URL | pycbsdk-10.3.0.tar.gz |
|---|---|
| Size | 102.7 kB |
| Tags | Source |
|
SHA-256 checksum How to use checksums |
41db48b38a97c083490a6731f96622c83fa031ed793cd5b9b41186a9e696e711
|
|
BLAKE2b-256 checksum How to use checksums |
ce6e296534fcd35ec4be6887571107e7345ab612b872273e2caff3741484194b
|
| Upload date | |
|
Uploaded using Trusted Publishing? What is trusted publishing? |
Yes |
| Uploaded via |
twine/7.0.0 CPython/3.13.14
|
Provenance
Provenance describes where a file came from. On PyPI, provenance is shared via attestations, which provide a verifiable record of the build or publishing details. View details, limitations and caveats.
PyPI Publish Attestation
PyPI verified that this artifact, at this checksum, originated from the publisher listed below.
Signed by GitHub Actions, verified by PyPI on Sep 28, 2026.
Transparency logRelease files / pycbsdk-10.3.0-py3-none-win_amd64.whl
| Download URL | pycbsdk-10.3.0-py3-none-win_amd64.whl |
|---|---|
| Size | 351.9 kB |
| Tags | Python 3 Windows x86-64 |
|
SHA-256 checksum How to use checksums |
6ab6cfb5a90e5012d257d86546cbc111285b64561976a849092b18b3bf50b8fa
|
|
BLAKE2b-256 checksum How to use checksums |
8feb4167a0a54fdda69d590d483e2035671507ed555e570fba817125b88af204
|
| Upload date | |
|
Uploaded using Trusted Publishing? What is trusted publishing? |
Yes |
| Uploaded via |
twine/7.0.0 CPython/3.13.14
|
Provenance
Provenance describes where a file came from. On PyPI, provenance is shared via attestations, which provide a verifiable record of the build or publishing details. View details, limitations and caveats.
PyPI Publish Attestation
PyPI verified that this artifact, at this checksum, originated from the publisher listed below.
Signed by GitHub Actions, verified by PyPI on Sep 28, 2026.
Transparency logRelease files / pycbsdk-10.3.0-py3-none-manylinux_2_39_x86_64.whl
| Download URL | pycbsdk-10.3.0-py3-none-manylinux_2_39_x86_64.whl |
|---|---|
| Size | 552.0 kB |
| Tags | Linux glibc 2.39+ x86-64 Python 3 |
|
SHA-256 checksum How to use checksums |
a64404d37bcc8c68eecd48f47072c7378f5afcbf12b264aa302de7b53d57caeb
|
|
BLAKE2b-256 checksum How to use checksums |
6e32ea04574dfc74b5138ceece18310aa9b3ada53e0b529a181a2679726ce62b
|
| Upload date | |
|
Uploaded using Trusted Publishing? What is trusted publishing? |
Yes |
| Uploaded via |
twine/7.0.0 CPython/3.13.14
|
Provenance
Provenance describes where a file came from. On PyPI, provenance is shared via attestations, which provide a verifiable record of the build or publishing details. View details, limitations and caveats.
PyPI Publish Attestation
PyPI verified that this artifact, at this checksum, originated from the publisher listed below.
Signed by GitHub Actions, verified by PyPI on Sep 28, 2026.
Transparency logRelease files / pycbsdk-10.3.0-py3-none-macosx_26_0_universal2.whl
| Download URL | pycbsdk-10.3.0-py3-none-macosx_26_0_universal2.whl |
|---|---|
| Size | 812.8 kB |
| Tags | Python 3 macOS 26.0+ universal2 (ARM64, x86-64) |
|
SHA-256 checksum How to use checksums |
f3d288cc9c906434cdf53c065fa9272c5fe0453011dc5edda7665e9758f1aa6f
|
|
BLAKE2b-256 checksum How to use checksums |
aa8278af9b6846be0e5566a09e0b304b116d6c4d5fc4aa06f400acab527c2aad
|
| Upload date | |
|
Uploaded using Trusted Publishing? What is trusted publishing? |
Yes |
| Uploaded via |
twine/7.0.0 CPython/3.13.14
|
Provenance
Provenance describes where a file came from. On PyPI, provenance is shared via attestations, which provide a verifiable record of the build or publishing details. View details, limitations and caveats.
PyPI Publish Attestation
PyPI verified that this artifact, at this checksum, originated from the publisher listed below.
Signed by GitHub Actions, verified by PyPI on Sep 28, 2026.
Transparency log
