• by Jennifer Coleman , October 26, 2006

How can the latest advances in digital media technologies impact your home and office while also improving healthcare? The Center for Media Design (CMD) at BallStateUniversity in Muncie, Ind., has opened a 3,000-square-foot digital research facility that aims to provide researchers with insight into how consumers interact with technology, and facilitate communication between home and office. One half of the facility mimics the interior of a house, while the other half serves as a medical office. The invisible yet comprehensive digital infrastructure and broadband connection enables researchers to observe how digital media and related technologies function in home environments and learn what drives consumer acceptance or rejection of various technologies. A living room research facility is set to open in New York in January.