Behind a sleek glass wall of the newest Innovation Lab on Cal Poly campus, sophomore lab assistant Lanyssa Cantu adjusted the virtual reality (VR) Oculus headset on her participant, which tracks their eye-movements. Then she slipped on the wristband device, which tracks their reaction to various types of stimulation.
Then came the actual experiment: first she handed the participant a bite of nutty aged cheese. As they took a bite, the wristband began to register the pulses, beats and body temperature changes while the headset displayed a view of the auction scene in front of them.
Through filtering algorithms, the wristband can identify changes in a person’s physiological state, according to the wristband brand Empatica. Cantu watched her screen as it recorded every peak of pleasure the savory undertones highlighted through taste.
The next question: would the next bite of cheese be as sensational as the first? As the participant tried the second cheese, Cantu was able to see clearly where the participant preferences lay when it comes to enjoying the experience of taste.
Finally, the session concluded. Cantu removed the headset and wristband, her own heart racing with the possibilities of what had been discovered. The data pointed to a clear favorite, revealing an unexpected trend that could redefine the future of catering popular flavors at their next major event.
The latest Experience Industry Management (EIM) lab is more than just an experimental platform for research but a hub for real-world application, creating cutting-edge advancements by turning subjective experiences into measurable data.
Cal Poly recently received a $500,000 donation from marketing agency George P. Johnson to fund the new Innovation Lab in the Frost Center on campus.
“I believe we are the best department in experience design,” Lin said, the interim department head.
It will be a turning point for Cal Poly’s status in the field, having other universities look up to Cal Poly regarding experience management according to Lin.
The lab has served as a “sandbox” of hands-on research between the EIM department and industry partners, according to Sandy Shen who directs the Experience Innovation Lab.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University has been a partner with the Cal Poly EIM department for two consecutive quarters. Their focus was whether or not “People pay attention to sustainability messages in the virtual hotel setting,” Shen said, with the end goal to promote sustainability in travel industries.
Aja Tsutsumi is a sophomore EIM student working as a research assistant with Shen in the innovation lab. She said the main goal of their current project titled “VR Hotel Experiences for Promoting Sustainability Messages and Creating Accessibility” is to discover how effective VR hotel tours can be.
Educating potential guests about sustainability within hotel industries is crucial to the future of building enjoyable yet responsible experiences for customers.
Participants experience three different conditions in the VR headset: listening to upbeat city tunes, hearing waterfall sounds, and playing an interactive game where participants are instructed to locate “17 icons to receive a free beverage,” according to Tsutsumi. These conditions test the impact of external stimuli on attention span and information retention; what do they pay attention to?
Some of the students involved in the research are BEACoN Research Scholars. The BEACoN program is funded by the Diversity and Inclusion Office at Cal Poly that advocates and empowers undergraduate research opportunities.
The specific research method the program uses is referred to as the “mixed method” approach, which uses qualitative and quantitative approaches. Tsutsumi’s goal of the project is to better understand guest preferences when booking with a travel agency. This is completed through physical data collection with the headset and wristband, combined with participant feedback surveys.
“We collect different quotes, and key words from the answers that participants said and apply it in our research” she said.
This helps identify relevant trends in experiences.
“Our access to technology” is what Tsutsumi says will make extensive contributions to the experience industry in terms of paying attention to what people look for when seeking out experiences.
The lab also serves as an open space for guest lectures, alumni speakers and collaboration events. The Innovation Lab has been crucial in building relationships with partners outside Cal Poly because of its hands-on aspect.
“Our alumni have become more confident in our department because they have seen our results and felt a stronger need to support it,” Cantu said.
The EIM club, a leading community within the department, conducts networking relationships between students and alumni. Senior club President Carmel Johnson said that connecting with alumni from various ends of the field “Helps students figure out where they want to take their studies” in the professional field.
Their motto “Learn by Going” has received extensive support from their student-planned fundraising events. This year’s EIM auction raised over $72,000 to cycle back into the department. The money supports travel, event conferences, student scholarships and clubs, all in which feed back into the lab’s research.
Shen is confident in the possibilities of research within the innovation lab because of the support between the student lab assistants, EIM club, and industry partners. “We know the impact of AI. For example, you can use AI to search for information, but it cannot give you personalized real experiences,” she said. The department strives to curate enriching realities for customers of all sorts.
As Cantu reviewed the data from her cheese-tasting session, she realized how something as simple as measuring reactions to flavors could lead to breakthroughs in understanding human experience. Just like the small preferences for cheese, the Innovation Lab aims to decode and enhance every aspect of the human experience, making the ordinary extraordinary through science and creativity.
The essence of Cal Poly’s Experience Innovation Lab is about discovery, where even a simple cheese tasting can become a gateway to the future of personalized lifestyles. Students who wish to become a part of the change through researching or assisting can explore further information on the Experience Innovation Lab Website.