director, corporate communications
tel: (510) 814-7000
for pictures in 300 dpi format
send request to carol@rgb.com
National Cancer Institute Enlists RGB Spectrum's SuperView™ Multiple Window Display Processor in the Fight Against Cancer
SuperView Display Processor Used in National Cancer Institute's Communication Technologies Research Center
When cancer invades our lives, the first reaction is to search for more information on what we can do. As the nation's largest cancer research program and a major information source on how to prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat cancer, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) knows that the user interface effectiveness of their 150+ websites could literally mean the difference between life and death.
When NCI established their Communication Technologies Branch (CTB), the staff faced the major challenge of determining the usefulness and efficacy of these website user interfaces. According to Mary Frances Theofanos, Manager of the Communication Technologies Research Center in CTB, "Our Center focuses on usability testing. We bring in users to test various concepts and interfaces, so that this information can be integrated into the design process as soon as possible. We want to design useful, usable, efficient, and accessible websites and user interfaces that empower the public with information to improve their health and well-being".
RGB Spectrum's Superview displays multiple windows on the observation room screen so NCI Personnel can monitor test subjects and evaluate the software usability.
(Photo courtesy Alan Karchmer © 2002)
The Center's usability testing lab is utilized to observe and evaluate test subjects' use of NCI websites. Subjects are given various task scenarios to test performance, navigation simplicity, ease of access, site intuitiveness, and logical process flow. Using multiple video cameras, the lab staff observes test subjects' responses and actions while simultaneously viewing the information on the user's computer screen.
Previously, critical testing data was being lost due the use of low resolution display equipment. The image quality was so poor that evaluators could not decipher the test subjects' physical responses and actions, nor read their computer screens. To remedy this problem, the Center enlisted Washington Professional Systems (WPS), an audio-visual technology integrator. WPS recommended RGB Spectrum's SuperView multi-input, multiple window display processor.
Ms. Theofanos stated, "We chose the RGB Spectrum SuperView because it was the only product that met our requirements. SuperView was the only box to handle computer and video signals directly, mix them, let us manipulate them, and output them in high resolution. SuperView gives us the high resolution we want. We now have the high image quality we need to observe fine details of the test subjects and what is occurring on the computer screens. SuperView is a very innovative product".
SuperView receives video inputs from four NTSC video cameras positioned in the testing lab providing a wide angle view of the room and close up views of the test subject's hands and face. The SuperView also receives input, in up to 1280 x 1024 resolution, from the computer that the test subject is using. The SuperView combines these images, enhances their quality through its optimized scan conversion, and outputs them into the Observation room's a ceiling-mounted Sony VLP-FX50 projector in the projector's native resolution. Testing evaluators take advantage of the SuperView processor's extensive display and image manipulation capabilities, displaying various size windows in the Observation room in an array of pre-set display configurations operated by a Crestron controller.
Craig Lafond, NCI Communication Technologies Research Center's Information Technology Architect, remarked "SuperView's image quality is the best we've seen. It is also simple to use. SuperView's versatile display options and complete window scalability make a big difference. We are very pleased. It is making the testing more effective".
Ms. Theofanos concluded, "This is an innovative application of visualization technology for a usability lab scenario. It has now become the model for other labs of this type. SuperView has excellent image quality. It is an amazing box - with flexibility to display up to 10 images and versatile image manipulation capability. You can scale and position any image wherever you want. Everybody is very happy with the product."
The National Cancer Institute is a division of the National Institutes of Health. NCI is the Federal Government's principal agency for cancer research, communication, and training. NCI is based in Rockville, MD and can be reached at 301-451-4687 and on the internet at www.cancer.gov and www.usability.gov.
Washington Professional Systems is an audio-visual technology integrator specializing in broadcast, presentation, recording, and sound reinforcement solutions. WPS is located in Wheaton, MD and can be reached at 301-942-6800 and on the internet at www.wpsworld.com.
The SuperView multi-input display processor accepts up to twleve real-time inputs and displays the combined output on a single high resolution monitor or projector. The window inputs can be NTSC or PAL, composite and S-Video, and high resolution analog RGB with up to 1600 x 1200 pixel resolution. Each window can be independently positioned, scaled to full screen, overlaid with computer graphics or overlapped with other windows. Additionally, the user can pan and zoom within each video image.
RGB Spectrum® is a leading designer and manufacturer of videographic and multimedia hardware subsystems. Products include the View™ family of video windowing systems, the RGB/Videolink® line of scan converters, the DGx™ digital recording system, and SuperWall™, ComputerWall® and MediaWall® multi-screen display controllers. RGB Spectrum is based in Alameda, California, and can be reached at 510-814-7000 and on the internet at http://www.rgb.com.
Photo courtesy Alan Karchmer © 2002: 3400 Patterson St. NW, Washington DC, 20015, 202-244-7511 ak@alankarchmer.com