harp-tech.org

What It Is

Harp is a standardization framework for hardware-based experimental devices. Its core goals include automatic sub-millisecond synchronization across devices, a binary communication protocol between devices and a host PC, and hardware templates for developing new devices. All Harp devices communicate with the PC via the Harp Protocol, while the Bonsai.Harp library provides the protocol implementation and can be used to connect to any Harp device.

Core Capabilities and Ecosystem

Based on the collected information, Harp is closely tied to the Bonsai ecosystem. Users need to install Bonsai, the FTDI D2XX driver, Bonsai.Harp.Design, and device packages in the harp.<device> format from nuget.org via the Bonsai package manager. Harp Behavior is a multi-purpose device for behavioral experiments, supporting control of pokes, RGB LEDs, LEDs, cameras, servo motors, and quadrature counters. It also provides register-level capabilities such as PWM, pulse output, current configuration, camera trigger frequency, ADC, events, and serial timestamping.

API, Documentation, and Usability

The documentation lists a large number of classes, registers, payload builders, and timestamped payload builders under the Harp.Behavior namespace. It also provides register addresses, types, access modes, value ranges, and interface types, making it suitable for developers who need precise hardware control. Its strength is detailed technical reference material; its weakness is that the content is fairly low-level. The setup process involves drivers, runtimes, a GUI, and NuGet packages, so it is not especially friendly for non-Bonsai users or beginners.

Pricing, Open Source, and Limitations

The collected information does not provide pricing, purchasing methods, payment options, or service support details. Its open-source status is also unclear: it only states that each subdirectory will contain licenses, and that both hardware and software licenses may be involved. As a result, its business model and whether it can be freely modified and deployed cannot be determined. “Self-hosting” also does not apply in the typical web-service sense; Harp is better understood as a local hardware and PC software stack.

Who It’s For and Access from China

Harp is suitable for neuroscience, behavioral experiments, instrument control, and custom hardware synchronization scenarios, especially for teams already using the Bonsai workflow. For general IoT or simple MCU control, options such as Arduino, LabJack, or NI DAQ may be easier to purchase and get started with. Access from China is not reflected in the collected information; the availability of NuGet, driver downloads, and the official website would need to be verified in practice, so it is marked as unknown.