Learn more about the newest addition to the College of Humanities, the Language Sciences Laboratory.
Have you ever wondered how professors in the College of Humanities conduct research? Then look no further than the Language Sciences Laboratory. The lab opened its doors to professors and students alike on February 8, 2024, providing guided tours, allowing visitors to use research equipment under the supervision of professors, and sharing more about all the opportunities this lab has to offer.
The lab has two different kinds of eye tracking technology—Tobii and eye link—for professors who research how people read or interact with content. While both kinds of technology allow researchers to identify exactly where a subject’s eyes are focused, each has its own pros and cons. Eye link eye-tracking is more precise in gauging where a person is looking on their screen, but it takes longer to program. Tobii eye-tracking, while not as precise, does not require programming and is often used for website usability testing or eye-tracking research with children. Professors use the data they collect from these two types of machines for many things, including understanding how editors interact with text or how recruiters interact with résumés.
The lab also has rooms for electroencephalography (EEG), which measures brain activity through electricity from the scalp, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), which measures blood flow to the brain. Each test requires participants to put on caps and look at or listen to stimuli to measure brain stimulation. fNIRS showing where the brain is stimulated, and EEGs show when the brain is stimulated. This gives researchers insights into how certain languages or signs (for ASL studies) can affect people’s brains.
In addition to brain scan research, the lab has resources for phonetic study. A soundproof booth called the whisper booth records participants’ speech that can be used to hear vowel quality clearly, which helps researchers study these sounds in-depth.
Students can also use the lab as resource for study. Many students need to conduct oral proficiency interviews (OPIs) for their foreign language requirements. The Language Sciences lab houses soundproofed booths that students can use so that they can conduct these OPIs in a distraction-free environment.
The open house promoted current research happening within the lab that students can participate in. Professors are always conducting various studies, and students often have the opportunity to assist them. To learn more about the opportunities to participate in current linguistics research, click here.