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Experience Lab User Manual

This wiki provides all the information on software and hardware available at Experience Lab. The wiki also contains a number of guides on how to conduct a successful study.

  Please note that the wiki is not yet complete. If you need help feel free to contact us.

To read more general information on the research facility please visit the Experience Lab main website.

Contents 1 Facilities 1.1 Test room 1.2 Observation room 2 Hardware 2.1 Cameras 2.2 Microphones 2.3 Eye tracker 2.4 KVM switch 2.5 Keypad 2.6 Computers 2.7 Entertainment unit 2.8 DVI switch 2.9 Miscellaneous 2.9.1 Lighting 2.9.2 Telephone 3 Software 4 Guides and tips 5 Other

Facilities

Test room

The test room contains a unit for testing different kinds of computer usage.The TestPC is connected to an eye tracker, a KVM switch and a keypad.

The test room also has a television unit aiming at entertainment-related research. A television, a PlayStation 3 and an Xbox 360 are available.

A number of cameras and microphones are available for documenting the research.

Observation room

In the observation room the researcher has the possibility of observing the test room through a one way mirror.

ObserverPC1 and ObserverPC3 are places in the observation room and can be used for gathering video and audio streams as well as keylogging from the test room.

It's possible to control the TestPC in the test room from the observation room using the KVM box.

It's possible to speak to the test room from the observation room via the table microphone.

Hardware

Cameras

Experience Lab has two remote controlled wall mounted cameras and two portable cameras.

Furthermore a webcam is available.

The output from the four main cameras can be viewed on the monitor in the middle of the observation room desk or recorded directly on ObserverPC1.

Microphones

Experience Lab has two microphones to be used in the test room.

A microphone is also placed in the control room allowing the researcher to speak to people in the test room.

Eye tracker

The eye tracker is a stand-alone unit that makes it possible to record in what way a test user views a website, a video, or a piece of software.

Using Tobii Studio on the TestPC a video file is saved locally and can be merged with other video sources later on (on ObserverPC3 for instance).

KVM switch

The KVM switch makes it possible to control the TestPC remotely from the observation room.

Keypad

The keypad is a small device with three buttons with individual LED displays. This can be used to launch different pieces of software or to conduct studies where the user has to chose between three options ("yes/no/neutral" etc.).

Computers

In the test room you will find the TestPC where users can perform different tasks as a part of a study.

Please notice: The signal from TestPC is not sent directly to the TestPC screens but are routed through the DVI switch first.

The ObserverPC1 and ObserverPC3 are placed in the observation room and are used to record the study in progress.

Experience Lab has two laptops that can be borrowed to work on the analysis after the tests have been performed. Contact the staff if you wish to make use of the laptops.

For backup-purposes there's also a disk server located in the observation room.

Entertainment unit

In the test room a wide screen television is available. A PlayStation 3 and an Xbox 360 are available as well. Thus it is possible to make studies on video gaming, television watching and the like.

Please notice: The signals from the gaming consols are not sent directly to the television screen but are routed through the DVI switch first.

DVI switch

The DVI switch is found in the observation room and gathers video and audio signals from the PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360, and the TestPC and depending on the user configuration outputs those signals to the television, the TestPC screens, and/or the frame grabber.

The frame grabber makes it possible to save the video and audio signals on ObserverPC3.

Miscellaneous

Lighting

To manipulate the light blackout curtains and a spot light are available in the test room.

Please note that the observation room has to be very dark in order to make the one way mirror work properly.

Telephone

If the phone displays the message, 'Bruger ikke logget på' (en: 'User not logged on'), enter user-id: 21385 and password 21385, both sequences followed by pushing the button with the speaker-icon on it.

To dial out of the house, dial '0' followed by the phone number you wish to dial.

Software

• The Observer XT
• Noldus MPEG Recorder
• Optimus Mini Configurator
• uLog
• Tobii Studio
• VGA2USB
• Cyberstudio PowerDirector
• Camtasia Studio
• VNC Viewer

Guides and tips

   Study-specification
   Statement of consent for test-subjects
   How to conduct a study
   How to make observations
   A-Z guide (Det gode forløb)

Other

   LAN
   File-location convention (usage guide)
   Passwords (usage guide)
   Booking, Terms of use, Contact/support (same as experiencelab.ku.dk)