2025 Newsletter Archive

Table of Contents

Q3'25 Newsletter

NEW FEATURES

  • Custom JavaScript Code Execution: Labvanced has introduced a new feature enabling the execution of custom JavaScript for direct manipulation of the Document Object Model (DOM) within experiments. This functionality allows researchers to programmatically edit on-screen elements, integrate interactive JavaScript-based games, and create more dynamic content. This represents a significant advancement from the platform's previous capabilities, which were limited to reading and writing variable values. Consequently, this update substantially broadens the scope of experimental designs that can be implemented on the platform. Learn more.
  • New OpenAI Integrations: Labvanced has introduced a new feature enabling the direct integration of OpenAI's generative AI capabilities into experimental tasks. Researchers can now send text-based prompts from within an experiment to the OpenAI API and receive AI-generated images, text, or audio as a response. This enhancement opens significant opportunities for studies on human-AI interaction, perceptions of artificial intelligence, and the application of generative AI as a cognitive or creative tool. For example, it allows for controlled studies where participants interact with the AI within a single interface, or for paradigms where AI-generated content is dynamically produced for evaluation, such as in tasks requiring discrimination between human and AI-created works via an OpenAI Trigger. Here are examples of studies you can try out:
  • Text Transcription: Labvanced has introduced a speech-to-text transcription feature for audio recording objects within experiments. This functionality is powered by an integrated Whisper model that operates entirely on the client-side, meaning all processing occurs directly within the participant's device. As no audio data is transmitted to any external servers, this approach ensures high data security and protects participant privacy. Researchers can enable transcription by configuring the relevant events on an audio recording element. Learn more.
  • Automatic Event Creation: To enhance usability and accelerate the study creation process, the Labvanced editor has been updated with a new context-aware system. When a user selects an object, such as the audio recording object, the editor now proactively presents a menu of common and relevant actions. Choosing one of these options automatically configures the corresponding event logic, significantly reducing manual setup time. This feature streamlines the workflow for experienced users and provides intuitive guidance for those new to the platform.

📌Upcoming

  • Infant-friendly eye tracking facemesh: Aims to use dimensions like height and width to 'lock-in' for the participant
  • Licenses: As per the last newsletter announcement, a planned change to the licenses is still underway with the aim of implementation in the coming months, by Q4. The new changes will limit certain features to certain licenses, leading to a more variety and flexibility with regards to the range of the types of licenses offered.
  • Study settings restructuring: Study settings are being restructured to be more organized.
  • Webcam-based Pupillometry: Still underway.

IMPROVEMENTS

  • Add Data Column Headers to Array Variables: Under the Variable Panel in the editor (where the Variables are listed) upon creating or selecting an Array variable, there is now an option to add column headers. This is useful for eye tracking studies that make use of array variables or any other kind of study where the array needs to be recorded. By adding the column headers, the data view will now list them, making the data preview and analysis more clear and straightforward.
  • Binary file upload: To improve experiment flow and participant experience, Labvanced now offers improved file uploading during the experimental task. User-generated files, such as audio and video recordings, are now uploaded automatically in the background. This improvement eliminates the need to create specific events that wait for an upload to complete before progressing to the next trial.
  • Retry Protocol for Data Persistence: To safeguard against data loss from transient network interruptions, Labvanced has implemented an automatic retry mechanism for data saving. Momentary disruptions in a participant's internet connection, even lasting milliseconds, could previously cause errors if they occurred during data transmission, potentially compromising the integrity of the study. With this new safeguard in place, in the event of a local network error, Labvanced will automatically re-attempt the transmission, significantly increasing the reliability of data collection and ensuring experimental data is stored safely.
  • Event Queuing upon Experiment Pause: To improve reliability, a new safeguard has been implemented for handling events during experiment pauses. Previously, if an experiment was automatically paused—for instance, due to excessive participant movement during an eye-tracking task—any events executing at that moment could be interrupted, potentially leading to errors. The system now automatically queues any active events that are affected by a paused experiment. Upon resumption of the experiment, these queued events will execute as initially intended.
  • Improved Variable-to-Text Linking: An update has been implemented to increase the robustness of the variable binding system used in text objects, enhancing stability and performance. Relinking a text element with a new variable is now more stable as variable IDs are used as identifiers.
  • Sortable Object Now Bidirectional: Upon linking an array to a sortable element, any update to the array, with regards to the order of the elements, will subsequently reflect in the Sortable Object.

LIBRARY HIGHLIGHTS What's new in the library? Here are a few new studies that you can explore and consider importing and working with for your next experiment:

  • Trail Making Test: In Part A, you connect numbers in order (1-2-3). In Part B, you alternate between numbers and letters (1-A-2-B). The test measures processing speed, attention and cognitive flexibility.
  • Corsi Block Tapping Task: Blocks are presented on the screen with one flashing at a time to create a sequence. The participant is expected to click the blocks in the order that they flashed. The number of blocks tapped in sequence starts small and increases with each correctly repeated sequence.
  • Preferential Looking Paradigm: This study investigates visual attention in infants using a preferential looking paradigm. Participants view side-by-side of either images or videos, while gaze patterns, fixation durations and head orientation are recorded.

Q2'25 Newsletter

NEW FEATURES

  • Video Conferencing: The Video Conference Object is here! You can now integrate video conferencing in your study and have participants communicate with each other via a call. You can control when during the experiment this happens, whether the call should be only audio-based or even whether screen sharing should be allowed. With the introduction of video conferencing in Labvanced, you can now easily integrate and have more control over participant-to-participant interaction, but also implement participant-to-researcher communication as well.
  • Switch Group Action: A new action is now available in the Events System. You can now specify for participants to switch groups based on certain criteria (or triggers) during the experiment. This allows you to dynamically assign participants to specific groups, as needed. For example, if the experiment starts with two groups based on age (young vs. old) and then a participant from the 'young' group indicates a specific response, then you can assign them to a different group automatically based on that response. Or if a participant has a 'high score' on a task, then you can assign them to a 'high score' group, etc.
  • Data Frames and Array Length as a Variable: In some cases, data frames and arrays dynamically update and change throughout the course of the experiment. For example, new rows can be added, making the entries grow. For flexible experimental design, it's important to know, at any given time, the length of these arrays or data frames. With this new feature, you can call on the variable number of the length.
  • Edit the Data Frame on the Spot: If a data frame needs to be updated, for example if there is a correction to be made or a slight change, you can now make the edit right on the spot. No need to reupload the entire data frame again, as was required in the past. You simply go to the data frame variable under the Variables panel in the editor and click the Edit Data Frame button. From there, the data frame will be opened. In the upper right corner, there is a checkbox that says Edit Values. Simply check that and now the cells can be edited.

📌Upcoming License Changes

  • Please note that in the coming weeks, there will be changes to the licensing system in Labvanced. This is aimed to change how free accounts and also accounts that work with top-up recordings (as opposed to license-based accounts).
  • Free accounts will now be granted a set number of free recordings.
  • Up to now, top-up recordings have been associated with a per-study basis. Now, top-up recordings can be used globally, across any study.
  • Finally, for purchasing top-up recordings, the minimum amount available will be 40 recordings.
  • These updates will roll out in stages in order to ensure a safe and smooth transition.

IMPROVEMENTS

  • Hide Language Drop-down and select Language via URL Query: For multi-lingual studies utilizing the Translation feature, you can now preset what language a study should begin with by using the URL parameter "study_language". This will also hide the drop-down that was previously shown by default at the beginning of the study.
  • Translation of required questionnaire items: When completing a questionnaire, you can specify which items are required. If the participant does not provide a response, they will be prompted with an automatic message of required. This can now be Translated using the Translate tab in Labvanced, allowing you to have a language-specific feedback message.
  • Polygon Modifiable Dynamically: The points of the polygon object can now be dynamically updated during the course of an experiment. You can create a data frame with two columns (x- and y-coordinates) to specify its points. Then use a 'Set Object Property' and call on the 'points' parameter and set it to the dataframe while setting it to update every 50ms, for example. This has several use case applications, such as creating dynamic AOIs over videos using webcam eye tracking.
  • Canvas Frames are Scrollable: Under the Task Settings, select an option such as 'Fixed in Visual Degrees' or 'Fixed in Pixels' and for the field 'How to handle overflow / scroll?' then select 'Make Frames Scrollable'. This has several use cases, such as creating mock websites in Labvanced.
  • Slider Increment: The slider / range object in the past allowed participants to increase or decrease their response by a numeric value of one (1). Now, there is a 'step size' option associated with it where you can input the increment of the range, for example you can use 0.5 increments to receive an input response of 1.5, providing more flexibility to the range of data that can be collected using this object.
  • Reclassification of Objects in the Editor: If you have been using Labvanced for more than a month, you may have noticed that the side-bar with the Object options in the editor has been updated! It was time for some house-keeping with rearranging the main categories because the list of Objects has been consistently growing thanks to your feedback and requests!
  • Shared Studies Binary Files: In the past, only study owners could access and download a shared study's binary / medial files. For data management purposes, now it is possible for those with whom the study was shared to access those files as well.
  • Allow Untrusted JS Execution: JavaScript-based actions were mostly limited to performing arithmetic-based executions and functions. With this new improvement, JavaScript actions can be used to access the DOM, allowing users to use code to dynamically change objects and more.
  • Remove image at the beginning of the study: When a study launches, there is an image that appears at the top. This can now be removed. Simply go under the 'Description' Tab and select 'No Image'. Now, when a study runs, it will no longer appear.
  • Relink Media Automatically: Sometimes, files can get unlinked, especially when the experimental design is changing. In the past, you had to manually re-link media, one by one. Now you can open the Media tab and select to automatically re-associate missing files. Please note that the file names should match exactly how you had them named originally.
  • Prevent participation in multi-user scenarios: A new Study Setting option is now available to prevent participation by subjects who did not complete a study. This is relevant for studies using crowdsourcing,
  • Desktop app binary files and offline uploading fix: A bug was fixed where certain instances of offline recordings in the desktop app and binary files were affected.

Library Highlights What's new in the library? Here are a few new studies that you can explore and consider importing and working with for your next experiment:

  • ChatGPT with Persona: In this study, you can set ChatGPT to take on a persona, or give it your own, before proceeding to a chat scenario.
  • Self-Compassion Questionnaire with Video Conferencing: In this demo, you can host a conference call with the participant before they fill the SCS-SF questionnaire and meet with them after they submit the questionnaire.
  • Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI): This questionnaire aims to assess burnout.
  • Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 (PSC-17): Used in the domain of clinical psychology, this checklist aims to assess pediatric emotional and behavioral functioning.

Upcoming: Available Soon

  • Emotion Detection as an additional feature
  • Additional Generative AI Integrations: including speech-to-text and image generation

Newsletter Q4'2024 and Q1'25

NEW FEATURES

  • CSV-based Task Creation via the Task Wizard: If you like to set up your experimental task using spreadsheets / CSV data, the Task Wizard is here to help you speed up the experimental task creation process! Using the Task Wizard, you can create your entire experimental task structure, including stimuli, events, variables, factors, conditions, randomization and data recordings from a single CSV file plus stimulus files. Learn more.
  • Custom Email Option: Due to popular demand, you can now also draft your own custom emails via the Participants tab in Labvanced. Previously, you could just edit the available templates. But now, you can create new custom emails, allowing you to tailor the communication process entirely to your labs-needs. Learn more about participant management.
  • Desktop App: With the desktop app you can connect external hardware like EEGs, hardware-based eye trackers and more. The desktop app has been launched in the spirit of helping you improve lab operations, streamlining the data collection process, so that labvanced can be your go-to all-in-one system for research. The desktop app has been here for about a month and we have been happy to hear your feedback and thank you for being receptive to this new feature! Learn more.
  • Phone App: The phone app is now available for Android 🥳You can go to the Play Store and download it. This advancement is another example of how Labvanced is dedicated to supporting your research needs. With the phone app, there is overall more control over the entire experimental procedure, allowing you to send push notifications and conduct phone-based longitudinal research. Furthermore, if you need a customized phone app with dedicated functionalities, we offer this option as an extra service where you can 'transform' the app to be entirely your own. Learn more.
  • Custom Onboarding: While not directly of importance to existing users, we now offer a new onboarding experience. However, this may be interesting to you if you are working with students and using Labvanced to teach experimental methods. Now, when a new user signs up, there is a more custom onboarding experience. The user is presented with a list of options and they can directly choose how to proceed, whether it's reading through documentation, watching videos or even importing a template that is relevant to them.
  • Sub Study Object: The Sub Study Object can be used to embed other studies within a single experiment. Essentially, you have a 'parent study' that contains these 'sub-studies' which are other Labvanced studies. There are several use cases for this object, such as incorporating standard questionnaires or pre-screeners without having to create them each time for a new study, comparing subjects' performance across studies, establishing test batteries and more. Here is the guide documentatio to using this object and if you have any questions about how to incorporate this in your next experiment, feel welcome to contact us!

IMPROVEMENTS

  • Eye tracking versioning and new update: Now, eye tracking updates are done with versioning which is reflected in the Study Settings tab. This allows existing studies to lock in on their current version while new studies have the latest version. The newest version (v1) includes an option to adjust the volume in infant-friendly eye tracking calibration.
  • Dynamically change the displayed language in an experiment: You can now set up your experiment to dynamically change the displayed language by calling on the System Variable "Displayed_Language" and setting it equal to a language that you have created via the Texts & Translate tab. If you have any questions, please feel welcome to contact us!
  • Object formatting - center aligned: When adding new objects to the editor, they will be automatically centered and their anchor point will be the center as well.
  • Exporting Data Frames Improved: The export settings have been improved so that exporting data frames is now an easier process.
  • Selectable Objects: In the Objects Properties panel, there is an option to make an object selectable for users. By default this came with a highlighted bounding box which can now be disabled.
  • Audio recordings buffering decreased: There was a small buffer of about 20 milliseconds at the end of audio recordings which has now been reduced to about 2-3 milliseconds.

LIBRARY HIGHLIGHTS What's new in the library? Here are a few new studies that you can explore and consider importing and working with for your next experiment:

  • Bouba-kiki Effect: a nice linguistics-based example of how to use the Trial System in an experiment design where the participant is forced to choose between two stimuli. Try it out here.
  • OCI-R: The Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Revised questionnaire is now available in the library, a brief self-report assessment tool used to measure the severity of OCD symptoms in individuals (18 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale). Try it out here.
  • GAD-7: The Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Assessment - 7 is now available in the library, a self-report questionnaire designed to screen for GAD by assessing the frequency and severity of anxiety symptoms over the past two weeks. Try it out here.
  • WCST-inspired Task: If you are interested in the WCST-like tasks, you can also import a demo and use it as the basis for your next experiment. Try it out here.
  • Edit Text Dynamically: In this demo, the participant is asked to edit paragraph text. There is a live data stream showing their key presses and mouse clicks, as well as the paragraph state, together with timestamps in milliseconds from the frame onset. Try it out here.

SPOTLIGHT ON PUBLICATIONS Want to see what other researchers are working on using Labvanced? Check out this list of some examples of recently published research:

  • Calignano, G., Lorenzoni, A., Semeraro, G., & Navarrete, E. (2024). Words before pictures: the role of language in biasing visual attention. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1439397. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1439397
  • Dehove, M., et al, (2024). Exploring the influence of urban art interventions on attraction and wellbeing: an empirical field experiment. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1409086. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1409086
  • Meewis, F., et. al, (2024). A comparative study of causal perception in Guinea baboons (Papio papio) and human adults. PloS one, 19(12), e0311294. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0311294
  • Tsai, C. C., et al, (2025). Effect of Artificial Intelligence Helpfulness and Uncertainty on Cognitive Interactions with Pharmacists: Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 27, e59946. https://www.jmir.org/2025/1/e59946/

UPCOMING

  • Video Conferencing as an in-study option
  • Emotion Detection as an additional feature