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Spatial Research and Design Launches First Canadian Independent Lab Studying Human Impacts of Emerging Technology
Friday, September 21, 2018Company Profile | Follow Company
Vancouver, BC, September 21, 2018--(T-Net)--Spatial Research and Design, a digital product design consultancy, announced today the launch of Canada's first independent research lab focused on the human impacts of emerging technologies such as Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR).
The tech sector has come under fire for lack of accountability around the negative impacts of technology and needs to increase focus on understanding the human and social impacts of technology as part of the design process.
"Much focus is on technology and devices," said Elynn Lorimer, CEO of Spatial. "We are choosing to focus on the human side - how these emerging technologies will be used in the real world, how they will impact behaviour, learning and social connectedness."
Spatial's Human Impact Research Lab, located in Vancouver, BC, will support one of the fastest growing VR/AR hubs in the world, working with app developers to bring human insights and ethical considerations into the design of their products.
To better understand the unique challenges of researching and testing immersive experiences, Spatial has been working for over a year in partnership with UBC's Brain Attention and Reality Lab (BAR Lab), led by Alan Kingstone, Professor of Psychology. The partnership brings post doctorates and undergraduate interns together with Spatial's team of researchers to solve problems, build knowledge and develop ethical research capabilities.
Spatial's lab is located in the city centre, and is equipped to conduct research and testing on a variety of devices including Oculus, Microsoft HoloLens, and other head mounted displays. Spatial also has access to the UBC BAR Lab's facilities, which include a range of other devices, tools and capabilities.
About Spatial Research and Design Inc.
Spatial is research and design consultancy specializing in digital product innovation. Founded in 2012, Spatial's mission is to bring human-centred design practices to large organizations to explore product ideas, solve problems and create exceptional digital experiences. Led by business partners Elynn Lorimer and Sheila Mackenzie, Spatial has a talented team of 10 full time researchers and designers and an extended network of contractors and technology partners.
Spatial's client base includes major global tech players (Microsoft, Facebook, Oculus, Samsung) as well as large organizations including clients from public sector (BC Hydro, BC Liquor, BC Lotteries, BC Government, City of Vancouver) and private sector (Glassdoor, SFU Beedie School of Business, Vancouver Airport Authority, and many others).
Spatial is a leader in the digital design community, an active member of the VR/AR Association and founding organizer for a major research event, the Radical Research Summit (radicalresearchsummit.com). This one-day event, on Friday, September 28th, 2018, brings together research practitioners from across Canada and the Cascade corridor to share best practices in product design research.
Company Snapshot |
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Spatial Research and Design Inc.
Vancouver (Non-Tech Sectors)
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