Cognitive Science Lab

Cognitive Science Lab at the Faculty of Informatics and Management of the University of Hradec Králové specializes in research into user behavior and cognitive processes when interacting with digital and physical interfaces. It focuses on monitoring visual attention, emotional reactions and mental stress using advanced technologies such as Tobii and Aurora stationary eye cameras or Pupil Labs NEON mobile eye-tracking glasses. The laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art iMotions software, which allows eye-tracking to be synchronized with biometric data, such as galvanic skin response (GSR) or facial expression analysis. An integral part of the project is also the German experimental system BeSigma for the creation and management of research scenarios.

Testing takes place both in a controlled laboratory environment and in real-world conditions using mobile equipment, allowing us to examine natural user behaviour in shops, driving or at work, for example. The laboratory offers a comprehensive analysis of user experience (UX), including the evaluation of attention, orientation, decision-making strategies and the mental demands of tasks. An important output of the research is the validated EMLI (Eye-tracking Mental Load Index) model, which is used to measure the cognitive load of users.

Students across study programs are involved in the laboratory's activities, who carry out their bachelor's, master's and dissertation theses, often in cooperation with the corporate sector. The most important partners include, for example, ŠKODA AUTO, with which projects focused on testing a career portal and an online campaign have been implemented. The laboratory has long been dedicated to user testing of websites, interfaces, marketing messages and physical products. The results of the research are published in professional journals and presented at national and international conferences. The research activity combines approaches from the fields of informatics, psychology and marketing with the aim of understanding how people actually perceive and use modern technologies. Emphasis is placed on the practical use of the acquired knowledge in designing functional, user-friendly and user-friendly solutions.

Cognitive Science Lab thus represents an important part of the research and innovation background of the Faculty of Informatics and Management and actively contributes to the development of scientific knowledge and practical applications in the field of user research.

The laboratory was funded by:

• from internal sources of the faculty.
• from the project: Development of the Environment for Doctoral Studies at UHK Project No.: CZ.02.01.01/00/22_012/0007388.
• donations provided in cooperation with Škoda Auto.