Dataset Initialization

One-time setup before working with the LAION-fMRI dataset.

This example walks through the steps a new user takes the first time they use the package:

1. Configure the local data directory.

2. Read the licenses you’ll be asked to accept on first download.

3. Confirm you can reach the bucket and see what it contains.

Downloads themselves are covered by the quick start.

Initialize the data directory

Pick a location with enough disk space. The choice is persisted so subsequent sessions pick it up automatically – you don’t need to call dataset_initialize again from the same machine.

import os

from laion_fmri.config import dataset_initialize, get_data_dir

# If you already accepted the licenses in another example, the
# following cells just confirm the configuration -- you won't be
# re-prompted.
data_dir = os.environ.get(
    "LAION_FMRI_EXAMPLE_DATA_DIR",
    os.path.join(os.getcwd(), "laion_fmri_quickstart"),
)
os.makedirs(data_dir, exist_ok=True)
dataset_initialize(data_dir)
print(f"Configured: {get_data_dir()}")

Configured: /path/to/laion-fmri-data

Inspect the license texts

Two licenses apply:

• The dataset license (CC0 1.0) covers the brain and participant data.

• The stimulus license (closed, research-only) covers the stimulus images.

Below we print the body of each so you can read the terms in advance. The actual Type "I AGREE" prompt happens in the next cell.

from laion_fmri._constants import (
    LICENSE_AGREEMENT_BODY,
    STIMULI_LICENSE_BODY,
)

print(LICENSE_AGREEMENT_BODY)
print("---")
print(STIMULI_LICENSE_BODY)

=== LAION-fMRI Dataset License (CC0 1.0) ===

The brain imaging and participant data in the LAION-fMRI dataset are
released under the Creative Commons Zero (CC0 1.0) Public Domain
Dedication. You are free to copy, modify, distribute, and use the
data for any purpose, including commercial, without asking permission.

Full license text: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

NOTE: Stimulus images are NOT covered by CC0. They are subject to a
separate, restrictive license. You will be prompted to accept it if
you choose to download stimuli.

---
=== LAION-fMRI Stimulus License ===

The LAION-fMRI stimulus images are provided under a closed license.
All rights are reserved by the original copyright holders.

You may ONLY use these images for non-commercial academic research.
All other uses are strictly prohibited. In particular, you may NOT:

  1. Share, redistribute, or make the images available to others.
  2. Use the images for any commercial purpose.
  3. Use the images to train, fine-tune, or evaluate commercial
     AI/ML models or services.
  4. Create derivative works from the images for any purpose
     other than non-commercial academic research.

Full terms: https://laion-fmri.hebartlab.com/terms

Accept the licenses

This is the same prompt-and-write-marker flow that laion_fmri.download.download() triggers internally on its first call. accept_licenses(include_stimuli=True) prompts you to type I AGREE for both the dataset license and the stimulus license, then records your acceptance under {data_dir}/.laion_fmri/ so future download(...) calls don’t ask again.

If you decline either prompt, the helper raises – the exception is the signal that you opted out and that downstream download(...) calls would refuse to run for the corresponding data.

from laion_fmri.download import accept_licenses

accept_licenses(include_stimuli=True)

Confirm bucket access

The bucket is public, so discovery works without any credential setup. The functions below query the bucket directly and tell you what is available in the dataset regardless of what you have downloaded – a quick way to confirm that initialization is complete and the bucket is reachable from your network.

from laion_fmri.discovery import describe, get_subjects

print(f"Subjects in bucket: {get_subjects()}")
describe()

Subjects in bucket: ['sub-01', 'sub-03', 'sub-05', 'sub-06', 'sub-07']
LAION-fMRI Dataset
  Bucket:    s3://laion-fmri
  Subjects:  5 (sub-01, sub-03, sub-05, sub-06, sub-07)
  ROIs:      EBA, FBA, FFA1, FFA2, IPCS, IPS0, LO1, LO2, MPA, MST, MT, OFA, OPA, PPA, SPCS, TO1, TO2, V1d, V1v, V2d, V2v, V3A, V3B, V3d, V3v, VO1, VO2, VWFA1, VWFA2, hV4, laionEVC, laiondorsal, laiongeneral, laionlateral, laionventral, lobjects, mfswords, pSTSfaces, pSTSwords, vobjects