Through a partnership with Wise, Inc., a local development firm, the university's Center for Media Design (CMD) will soon open a 3,000-square-foot digital research facility at 4021 W. Kilgore Ave.

"From digital television to wireless home networks, TIVO boxes, game consoles and touch screen control panels, the presence of digital technology in the home and office is increasing significantly," said Mike Bloxham, CMD's director of testing and assessment. "The combination of a living space and medical office will provide an environment with access to a range of technologies that are increasingly becoming a part of our lives, yet which have not fully been understood by researchers and industry in terms of how consumers interact with them."

Half of the structure's layout mimics the interior of a house including a full-size kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom. While the physical environment will mirror a typical contemporary home, the space's digital infrastructure and broadband connectivity will allow the CMD to look at how digital media and associated technologies function in home environments and what drives acceptance or rejection of certain technologies by consumers. The new structure also will include an adjacent dry lab medical office.

Working with an advisory group of industry and academic researchers, the CMD will use the facility to develop and test the next generation of home and medical office technologies. Ball State will assign two full-time staff members to the project and enlist graduate and undergraduate students to assist in testing and development of products.

For more information about the CMD, a research and development facility focused on the creation, testing and practical application of digital technologies for business, classroom, home and community, go to www.bsu.edu/cmd.

© 2006 HealthNewsDigest.com