Technology Research Lab Utilizes DGy Digital Recording System
February 7, 2006 Alameda, CA - Canada's renowned Acadia University has developed a new research facility to study the effects of technology on literacy, health and culture. The facility, the Acadia Digital Culture Observatory (ADCO), conducts research on peoples' interactions with information and communications technologies to study how these technologies affect peoples' lives and transform society.
According to Dr. Sonya Symons, the ADCO Facility Director, "the facility's Usability Lab has integrated the most advanced and versatile audio visual technologies to observe, monitor, and record human-computer interaction. One of the critical elements in the research is post-experiment review." Kevin Shaw, Senior Technician for ADCO explained, "the task was to find a digital recording system for the review process that would record a variety of disparate images, from cameras recording peoples' actions to the actual high resolution computer visuals. The recording system had to record real time computer and video signals at 30 frames per second and deliver faithful reproduction of the intricate details. After extensive investigation, technical support staff at Acadia selected RGB Spectrum's DGy(TM) digital recording system. The DGy has the best specifications on the market."
One of the Usability Lab's testing rooms has two workstations used by research participants. Two Sony BRC-300 VGA video cameras with optional RGB output cards are trained on the participants to view their workstation interactions. The two video signals and the computer imagery depicted on the workstation displays are fed to RGB Spectrum's QuadView® multi-image display processor. The QuadView combines these three images into one composited image for display and pre-processing for the DGy. The DGy system records the combined visuals at 1280 x 1024 resolution at a full 30 frames per second for staff replay in post-experiment analysis.
Acadia University's innovative research lab, the Digital Culture Observatory, uses RGB Spectrum's state-of-the-art DGy(TM) high scan rate digital recording system to review experiments on how technology affects society and peoples' lives.
Shaw commented, "another key benefit of the DGy recording system is its pass-through feature which enables us to output the live images to a plasma screen in a separate room while the DGy is recording. This gives researchers the opportunity to monitor the experiments as they are happening. Researchers observe participants' behavior while simultaneously viewing the information depicted on the workstation screens."
The studies cover an extensive range of disciplines, including education, computer science, sociology, biology, mathematics, political science, and psychology. One example of the research conducted is website usability. Research participants are given various task scenarios and interfaces to test performance, navigation simplicity, ease of access, site intuitiveness, and logical process flow.
Shaw concluded, "The DGy's leading edge recording technology significantly enhances our research capabilities. Its image quality is second to none, providing the most faithful image reproduction. We are completely pleased with the technology."
Acadia University, located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada, is one of Canada's premier undergraduate institutions with internationally recognized research initiatives and a technology-rich teaching and learning environment. The Acadia Digital Culture Observatory is funded by the Canada Foundation For Innovation, The Province of Nova Scotia, and Acadia University. For more information about Acadia University, visit www.acadiau.ca.
RGB Spectrum® is a leading designer and manufacturer of videographic and multimedia hardware subsystems. Products include the View(TM) family of video windowing systems, the RGB/Videolink® line of scan converters, the DGy(TM) digital recording system, Quadra® universal scaler and synchronizer, SynchroMaster® keyers and overlayers and SuperWall(TM), ComputerWall® and MediaWall® multi-screen display controllers. RGB Spectrum is based in Alameda, California, and can be reached at 510-814-7000 and on the internet at www.rgb.com.
