Upgrade and Duplicate Audio/Video Recording Equipment for Behavioral Testing Suites

Description:

The Waisman Center Clinical Translational Core (CTC) provides services, resources, consultation and training for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC) investigators in recruitment of human participants; access to bio-bank data and specimens for biomedical research; clinical assessment; behavioral methods and custom application development; and innovative biomanufacturing.

This project supports the upgrade of video recording equipment in the existing three testing suites, as well as duplication of the systems in two additional testing suites.

Video recording is an important element of research conducted by CTC testing suite users. Videos are useful in educating and training new research staff in correct administration of data collection tools and assessments, and for ongoing quality control of data collection. Videos are also used as a qualitative research method and captures the complexity and minutiae of social interaction and behavior that is not possible with observation alone. Analyzing behaviors via video is superior to coding in real-time because it offers a permanent source of complex data that can be reviewed repeatedly, allows for scrutiny of different aspects of the data in different ways.

Multiple camera views are superior to a single camera view. High definition recording captures finer details, which is important for coding behaviors such as facial features. Automatic motion tracking is superior to manually controlling a camera, enabling the camera to automatically pan and tilt to keep a moving participant in frame.

This upgrade will eliminate the need for teams to have a study team member controlling the camera movements, and help with the difficult task of keeping very active children in the video frame.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:

Leann Smith DaWalt, director of the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities and Clinical Translational Core/Waisman Center

CO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:

Carrie Arneson, manager of the Clinical Translational Core at the Waisman Center

CORE:

Waisman Center/Clinical Translational Core