Custom labs
Your research is unique. So are your lab requirements. To meet them, Noldus offers a wide range of tools that are flexible and designed to meet a variety of research demands. If your application requires a truly unique solution, you can rely on our many years of experience with building labs all over the world to create a custom lab for you. We can even integrate the hardware and software you already have into one of our solutions.
Solutions that meet your requirements
When designing your lab, we combine software and hardware solutions that meet your unique research requirements. We have many standard solutions in our portfolio that offer a good value for the money. Do you need something special? A different type of camera or Data AcQuisition (DAQ) system? We are more than happy to work with you to create the optimal custom solution.
Full integration
Full integration means we integrate hardware components into full systems, even if they are not mentioned in this catalog. High speed cameras, data acquisition systems, eye trackers, and video servers, are just a few examples of the components we can integrate. We can also integrate third party hardware and software.
Integration can take place on many levels. Some systems only require data integration or screen recordings, while others need fully synchronized recordings of multiple modalities. Backed by highly technical support staff, our sales team can help you investigate the options, and create the best system for your needs.
Service and support
We test our standard components extensively under many different circumstances to verify how they work with new releases of our products. Custom components are tested as well, in conjunction with our software. We provide extensive documentation and our staff is trained and experienced in helping you with common issues.
The Observer XT
We only work with world-class suppliers. The Observer® XT has been successfully integrated with many different systems and equipment. We help you to build the right solution, consisting of The Observer XTand the equipment you require. We offer systems that include components from:
Eye trackers
- SMI
- Tobii
Data acquisition equipment
- Biopac
- Mindware Technologies
- Polar Electric
Cameras
- Basler
- Imaging Source
- Panasonic
You can also work with equipment from other suppliers. The Observer XT has been successfully integrated with ASL and Smart Eye eye trackers and with DAQ equipment from ADInstruments, Becker Meditec, Biosemi, EGI, TMS International, VU-AMS, and G-tec. If you are looking for motion capture equipment, you can choose equipment from Motion Analysis. The Observer XT has also been integrated with E-Prime and simulators from BAE Systems and Re-lion.
Other hardware
Event logging interface
You can code automatically sensed behaviors live into the data files of The Observer XT by using the Event Logging Interface (ELI). This tool allows you to replace yourself as the coder, partially or completely, and build your own automated event logging set-up. You can connect any type of sensor-based switch (voice activated switch, infrared beam, movement sensor, etc.) to one of the twelve input channels on the ELI. Activation of this sensor will automatically lead to an entry in the event log of The Observer XT.
Syncbox
For the synchronization of lab equipment that is not compatible with The Observer XT, we designed the SyncBox. This piece of hardware receives electrical pulses from The Observer XT, and in turn, all recor-ding equipment receives signals from the SyncBox, such as light signals, sounds, electrical pulses, and key strokes. The pulses are also recorded in the event log of The Observer XT. This allows you to easily synchronize, and verify synchronization in all your recordings.
Four examples of custom-made solutions
Restaurant of the future
The Restaurant of the Future is a unique environment where scientists can observe restaurant frequenters in conditioned situations for a prolonged period of time. Research may include behavior, food choice, design and layout, influence of lighting, presentation, traffic flow, taste, packaging, preparation, and countless other aspects involving out of home eating and drinking. As one of the ‘founding fathers’, Noldus equipped the restaurant with the latest computer and video technologies, including The Observer XT for visualization and analysis of consumer behavior. We also performed the complete on-site installation, and trained the researchers to conduct the consumer behavior research. This research facility is also available for contract research. Read more on page 65.
Bae systems
Noldus provides key software solutions to BAE Systems, a premier global defense and aerospace company, assisting in the development of the next generation ground combat and transport vehicles. BAE Systems constructed a simulator to study interactions between the driver, gunner, and commander in various conditions. Other defense contractors in this program include General Dynamics Land Systems, Boeing, and SAIC.
Noldus has developed a special vehicle performance data recorder (UDP Reader) for BAE Systems. Using The Observer XT and the UDP Reader, BAE Systems studies the vehicle performance in sync with various communications. This measurement and analysis set-up configured for BAE Systems represents one of the first applications in crew performance analysis and after-action review in training simulators.
Forensic field lab
Within the research project CSI The Hague, the premier forensic and technological companies in the Netherlands are combining and developing technologies to digitize and visualize the crime scene. In the near future, we will be able to feel, smell, hear, taste, and observe in virtual reality all the evidence that was present at a crime scene. This ‘freezing’ of the crime scene provides great opportunities for reconstruction and testing hypotheses or witness statements. Not only will there be a virtual lab, but there will also be a house where forensic researchers can be observed and trained in a real-life exercise. It will be very useful for education, training forensic researchers, and for experimenting with new methods and techniques. CSI The Hague will stimulate innovation into forensic investigation and help to solve crimes. Noldus is excited to be one of the partners in this project.
Game labs
The IBBT game experience lab in Ghent, Belgium and the Hohenheim GameLab in Stuttgart, Germany were built by Noldus to facilitate research into user experience with video games in different stages of their development cycle. The IBBT game experience lab is used to study and evaluate various aspects of the user-game interaction and serves as a playground for exploring and developing new methods for measuring user experiences in a non-obtrusive manner. The different setups in the Hohenheim GameLab makes it possible to study different forms of single- and multiplayer gaming (co-located, online, local network). Noldus equipped the lab with state-of-the-art hardware and Media Recorder, FaceReader™, and The Observer XT software.