The GVU Center Usability Lab is designed to serve as a multi-modal recording and user testing space.
There are a number of features that make this space particularly useful for user studies:
- The room is split into a "control" room and a "study" room, segmented by a door and one-way mirror to allow observation
- The control room has a sound mixer capable of receiving up to 18 audio inputs and storing directly to a desktop computer
- The study room has four omnidirectional microphones built-in and connected to the control room soundboard, so no extensive setup is necessary
- For instances where more directed audio is desired, wall panels are installed which allow connecting microphones to the sound mixer without having to direct the cables through to the control room
- Specialized equipment for studying and recording user interaction is available, including eye tracking systems and mobile-device-interaction cameras
- The study room has sound shaping panels to ensure recorded audio is crisp and presentation-ready
GVU Center staff have carefully curated the equipment and set it up to be as simple as possible for newcomers to start using. While there is naturally a learning process for any piece of equipment, the ultimate goal is to have a space where folks can "walk in, press record, and go!"
The Usability Lab is a growing space, intended to adapt to the needs of the broad Georgia Tech community. From the beginning, GVU has collaborated with units like the CoC Communications Team and the MS-HCI program to ensure the resources available meet user needs.
If you have any suggestions or would like to learn more, please feel free to reach out to gvu@cc.gatech.edu!
