About the Labs

The Research Labs are the raison d'etre of the Jennie Lee building. Usability, accessibility and developmental testing can be carried out in the facility.

They can be used by anyone in the University, many of the labs have a self-service functionality where testing can take place, data in the form of video, audio and screen capture can be recorded to DVD without users or researchers having to know about the underlying technology.

Evey lab and room is flood wired with Cat 6 Networking, WiFi and power, this includes under-floor, dado rail trunking and ceiling outlets. There are audio and video links that go directly to the control room from every lab, here it can be recorded by computers into the Matroska (.mkv) file format. As some labs have more than one camera and one may wish to capture the computer screen as well, we use this format as it can bundle together multiple video and audio streams.

We have software which can split these files so that we can produce video of the appropriate camera angle, audio track etc.

We can make podcasts, and provide some editing facilities.

Every lab has at least one Ceiling Dome camera which can pan, tilt and zoom, a microphone and a computer. Each computer has specialist software and hardware which allows us to capture the computer's screen and record it; this can be recorded as an individual video stream or mixed with the room's video camera to create a picture in picture video and recorded to DVD.

Installed in each lab is also a DVD recorder linked to a monitor with touch panel controller allowing for ease of setup and use.

If a DVD is being used in a lab we can duplicate the recording in the control room, this can be for backup purposes or re-editing.

If you decide to produce your own DVD then it is possible to record Picture In Picture onto the Disks. This can be either the computer screen being the main image, with participant in the small window or the other way round.

We also have an Eye Tracker system which can be setup in any of the labs.

At the hub of the suite of rooms lies the Observation room.

Observation room

3.1 x 5.5 Metres

Purpose – A quiet observation area, or can be used as a lab. (up to 12 participants) or meeting room with laptop port to screens.

As this room has two Plasma screens we can configure the system to show output from any of the labs computers or cameras. We can also evesdrop in on any lab to hear what is going on. The space may be partitioned to allow multiple groups to observe different labs.

Observation window to Ambient technology lab and HCI Lab.

Ambient Technology Lab

7.6 x 16 Metres

Purpose – mock-up scenarios of ambient learning (library, museum, classroom) (up to 50 participants) (with view port to the observation room)

This lab has 8 dome camera’s plus the ability to provide up to 3 floor standing cameras.

It also has a number of data projectors allowing for large groups to watch video or presentations.

Also installed is a 5.1 Surround Sound audio system, and presenters wireless microphone.

The room has 10 microphones which means any person speaking in any part of the room is clearly recorded. This audio feed is also fed back into the room for connecting to computers for pod or web casting using software like Elluminate.

Meeting room lab

3.1 x 4.2 Metres

Purpose – To test and observe meeting room scenarios (upto 8 participants)

2 cameras. Support for multiple devices. Laptop point to plasma screen for presentations.

Accessibility lab

3.8 x 3.8 Metres

Purpose - Accessibility User testing – To test user interfaces and observe how users interact. (2 participants)

2 cameras.2 x PCs.We have a number of assistive technologies available which can be used in conjunction with the lab PC's and also assistive software like screen readers etc.

HCI  lab 1

3.1 x 2.8 Metres

Purpose - Usability User testing - Single participant (with view port to observation room)

1 camera.

HCI lab 2

3.1 x 2.8 Metres

Purpose - Usability User testing- Single participant

1 camera.

Podcast Suite

3.1 x 1.8 Metres

Purpose - Recording Podcasts - Single participant

Computer with built-in camera and microphone with teleprompter software plus an additional camera.

We also have additional recording apparatus like USB voice recorders and additional computers and cameras if requested.

Analysis Room

Purpose – To allow people to view and analyse the data produced from testing.

Four high specification machines with high bandwidth connection to provide data streaming or large video downloading and editing work. High specification PC’s, high bandwidth network cabling. Headsets and speakers. DVD/CD burning media and units. Large storage media (hard drives). Editing software.

Control room

Purpose – To allow patching/connectivity and recording of labs to data capture devices.

Equipment includes monitors for every camera, control joysticks to control all cameras, patching of signals to various recording devices, recording of video to hard disk array, video capture equipment, data converters. High bandwidth connectivity to server room hard disk storage (streaming servers). Patch panels and racks for recording devices.

Server Room (AV Equipment)

Purpose – To provide head end servers for data capture and streaming.

Equipment includes 5TB network attached storage for streaming and storing lab media.