Real-Time Reaction:

Webcam-based Application that measures user reaction time through motion detection. The system combines Python's ease of use with C++'s performance capabilities to provide accurate reaction time measurements.

Requirements

• Python 3.9
• OpenCV
• NumPy
• Webcam

System Architecture

This application is built using a hybrid approach:

• Core timing logic implemented in C++ for microsecond precision
• Python frontend for webcam handling and user interface
• OpenCV for efficient motion detection and image processing

Prerequisites

Essential Software

• Python 3.9 or later
• Visual Studio 2019 or later with C++ Desktop Development workload
  • Make sure to install "Desktop development with C++" workload
  • Include "Windows 10 SDK" and "MSVC v142" components
• Functioning webcam

Installation

python -m venv venv venv\Scripts\activate or source venv/bin/activate

Install required Python packages:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Build C++ components:

python setup.py build_ext --inplace

Running the Application

Start the reaction time tester: python test_full_system.py

Controls

'+' key: Increase motion detection sensitivity

'-' key: Decrease motion detection sensitivity

'q' key: Quit application

What to Expect

The application opens two windows:

Main window showing your webcam feed with stimulus overlays

Motion detection window displaying movement analysis

Random shapes will appear at random intervals

Move quickly when you see a shape appear

Your reaction time will be measured and displayed

Final statistics show at the end of your session