Facilities
Baby lab
In the babylab (room K.11) we run experiments to study language acquisition and language development of young infants. The current setup with three movable video screens and three speakers in a three-sided booth allows to run the head-turn preference procedure, the preferential looking procedure, the switch procedure and other experiments of similar nature.
For experiments involving interaction by the caregiver or experimenter with the infant the flex lab is better suited.
Technical specs
Test room
- The test room houses a three-walled booth in which the infant and its caregiver are to be seated.
- Sound dampened by open cell foam cushions placed on the walls.
- The three-walled booth (with ceiling) consists of an aluminium box-shaped framework onto which unbleached cotton tent cloth is strapped on the inside. Internal dimensions: width 185 cm, depth 185 cm, height 197 cm; see drawing below
- Lighting: dimmed, in booth (i.e. under the tent cloth) approx. 65 lux
- Chair: regular comfortable four legged chair; positioned as depicted in drawing below
- L1
- Left speaker position and normal position of left LED box for head turning experiments; instead of the LED box the left display monitor can be hung here
- R1
- Right speaker position and normal position of right LED box for head turning experiments; instead of the LED box the right display monitor can be hung here
- L2
- Normal position of left display monitor for preferential looking experiments
- R2
- Normal position of right display monitor for preferential looking experiments
- C
- Camera position, frontal speaker position and normal position of frontal display monitor can be hung here for switch procedure experiments
All equipment (camera, speakers, monitors) are behind the canvas spanning the framework. The camera peeks though a hole in the canvas. The monitors can be made visible as needed to the infant by removing the canvas insets normally covering the LED boxes and monitors. The height from floor to center of LED boxes and display monitors is 95 cm.
The camera records in a mirrored manner. This means that when you present a stimuli on the left side it’s also on the left side of the recording.
Internal equipment
- Headphones Echelon Telex (aviation headset); to be worn by caregiver to prevent the caregiver from hearing stimuli presented to the baby and to give instructions to the caregiver if necessary
- Logitech C920 Webcam
- 3x 15″ monitor Benq GW2406z (IPS-VA technology.)
- 3x speaker Tannoy X in 20x20x12 cm in custom made boxes.
See above drawing for the positions of camera, monitors, and speakers.
External equipment
- Recording computer (Dell Precision 3640)
- Ubuntu Mate 20.04/Windows 10 LTSC
- OS installed on an SSD
- Recording Software: Open Broadcaster Studio
- Special card: BlackMagic Decklink 4K video capture card
- Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-10500 CPU @ 3.10GHz
- RAM size: 16 GB
- Stimulus-presentation computer (Dell Precision 3640)
- Operating system: Ubuntu Mate 20.04/Windows 10 LTSC
- OS installed on an SSD
- Graphical card: Radeon Pro WX 2100
- High accuracy response box: BeexyBox B
- Soundcard: Asus Xonar (CMI8788)
- Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-10500 CPU @ 3.10GHz
- RAM size: 16 GB
- Headphones Beyerdynamic DT250/80
- Microphone Sennheiser ME-64
- Microphone preamplifier/mixer Advantadge SPM413e
- Surround amplifier Yamaha RX-V596RDS (drives cabin speakers)
Script Settings Configuration
Monitors/Displays
Because there are multiple monitors the configuration for which window opens at which monitor is not arbitrary and different per Zep version. Head 0 is always the researcher display.
Zep 1.x
| Monitor Position | Zep-1.x-head Number |
|---|---|
| Front/Center | 3 |
| Left | 1 |
| Right | 2 |
Zep 2.x
| Monitor Position | Zep-2.x-head Number |
|---|---|
| Front/Center | 3 |
| Left | 2 |
| Right | 4 |
Sound-Channels Setting Configuration
The soundcard has multiple channels. The sound device needs to be opened with at least 4 channels. The following table shows which channels correspond to which channel number and to which speaker position:
| Speaker-Box Position | Channel | Channel Number | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front/Center | Front Left | 0 | |
| – | Front Right | 1 | Front right is not connected |
| Left | Rear Left | 3 | |
| Right | Rear Right | 4 |
Room details
- Room number: K.11
- Phone extension: 2890
- Reserve this facility
Usage rules
Keeping the facilities in this lab in the best possible condition requires your cooperation; please read the house rules and stick to them. Especially important:
- Never ever change or remove any wiring; don’t pull out any plugs
- No eating or drinking (except coffee, tea, water)
- Clean up
- Ask for help, report all problems