Vison
& Aging Lab - Facilities & Capabilities
Vision Testing
Computer-based acuity, hyperacuity and contrast sensitivity measurement;
extensive inventory of vision tests; 3-field tachistoscope, ophthalmoscope;
Vistech near and far charts; Bausch and Lomb Ortho-Rater; waiting room
and 5 testing rooms; light-controlled 50-ft. (16 m)"vision tunnel"
for distance legibility and hyperacuity testing.
Optical
Correction (Refraction)
American Optical Master Phoroptor and Canon R22 autorefractor, trial
lens sets and frames, RH Burton Lensmeter, chart projector, ophthalmic
unit (motorized chair, equipment stand).
Optical
Equipment
Extensive optics bench inventory: lenses; prisms; neutral-density, polarizing
and interference filters, lasers, etc.
Computer
Systems
Four-station Mac network with colour scanners, high-resolution color
and laser printers, CD drives & burners, 24-bit colour cards, extensive
graphics and testing software library.
Photography
Digital, 35-mm & video camera equipment with filters and lenses;
macrophotography light stand.
Digital
Image-Processing & Legibility Optimization
Hewlett-Packard 486 computer with Matrox 1024 video processing boards
w/ custom image-processing.
Data
Analysis & Presentation
Mac-based data analysis software, including SPSS, Excel, Cricket Graph,
Delta Graph, PowerPoint, Photoshop; VCR with TV monitor & A-V cart.
Research
Participant Pool
The Lab maintains a pool of several hundred young, middle-aged and elderly
research volunteers who participate in vision research projects.
Technical
and Personnel Support
Extensive research library on vision, gerontology, and human factors.
Shop with basic tools and electronic test equipment. Access to Department's
Technical Support Group (TSG) staff for equipment construction and maintenance,
hardware/software support, and mechanical and electronic shops.
Lab staff experienced in vision testing, human factors, gerontological
research, computer graphics, graphic design, and data analysis. Specializing
in reitierative image-processing based evaluation and optimization of
the legibility, glance legibility, comprehension, and conspicuity of
visual displays (signs, symbols, markers).
