NTU's facilities have been rated 5 Stars in the QS Stars University Rankings.
Our purpose-built psychology suites are dedicated to behavioural study and include areas for:
- human communication and social interaction
- computer gaming, and cyberpsychology
- eye-tracking
- cognitive modelling, and visual analysis
- psychophysiology.
We have a state-of-the-art IT suite for computer modelling and data analysis. You’ll also have access to a technical workshop, cubicles for group and individual study, and banks of psychometric tests. You can build your practical skills with industry standard tools and technology such as our EEG and eye-tracking equipment. These measure brain responses and human movement outputs using real-time, 3D motion capture technology.
Driving simulator
Our Traffic and Transport lab features an immersive driving simulator with a 180° curved screen. This allows us to safely investigate driving behaviour, from which we can develop training tools to improve road safety.
Virtual reality (VR) is also widely used in our traffic and transport research.
EEG (electroencephalogram)
EEG (electroencephalography) measures brain activity by detecting electrical signals via scalp electrodes. In psychology, it's used to study cognitive processes, such as perception and decision-making, emotions, and attention.
We have two EEG labs, each containing a 128-channel Biosemi ActiveTwo system. In one of the labs, the EEG equipment is housed in an acoustic isolation booth to accommodate auditory EEG research,
We also have a range of more portable EEG equipment, including a 40-channel NeuroScan Nuamps system and several Emotiv Epoc X and Flex headsets.
Eye tracking
We have three labs dedicated to desktop eye-tracking research. The following desktop eye trackers are available to use in these labs:
- SR Eyelink 1000
- SR Portable Duo
- 2 x SMI RED500
- Gasepoint GP3
We also have two pairs of Tobii Pro Glasses that allow eye tracking data to be collected in the field, as well as two HTC Vive VR systems with integrated eye tracking.
Functional MRI (fMRI)
We are one of only a few Psychology departments to have access to a Functional MRI (fMRI) facility. a 1.5 T Siemens Avanto MRI Scanner lets us capture detailed brain activity images in real-time. With VisuaStim Digital Glasses with built-in eye tracking, alongside specialised headphones and MRI safe response boxes, we can present precise visual and auditory stimuli to participants while they are inside the scanner. fMRI is used in psychology to understand how different parts of the brain work together during tasks like problem-solving, recognising faces, or processing emotions.
This facility is hosted on our Clifton Campus with joint access from the School of Social Sciences, and the School of Science and Technology.
PriSim: our mock prison cell
A mock prison cell has been built by Nottingham Trent University’s Psychology department for students to physically experience what it’s like to be interviewed and incarcerated.
The 2 x 3-metre cell – called PriSim - features a lock door and has been authentically dressed by theatre design students from the Nottingham School of Art & Design with sustainably sourced items such as clothes, books, toiletries and personal items.
HMP Nottingham also provided genuine prison kit, including bedding, plastic crockery, soap, toothbrush, and uniforms.
The facility includes a prison office setting and a one-way viewing panel for observation.
Qualitative lab
Our Qualitative lab has a large meeting table with seating for 10 people and a wall-mounted screen for wireless connection for both Windows and Apple devices. This room is ideal for focus groups and round-table discussions. We have a range of portable equipment to facilitate audio or video recording in the lab.
Sleep lab
Our sleep research facility, based in Terrace Royal, houses laboratories and equipment that allow us to investigate the functional significance of different aspects of sleep, such as the effects that poor quality sleep and sleep loss can have on everyday cognition. Two sleep pods, along with a participant lounge, kitchen and shower facilities, allow us to conduct overnight and weekend studies. We have a range of equipment that can be used in the lab or at home to measure physiological and psychological parameters relating to sleep, including:
- ActTrust wrist-worn activity monitors with ambient light and temperature measurement
- ZMachine Insight+ sleep EEG systems
- Somte clinical grade PSG systems
- Nonin WristOx2 pulse oximeter to monitor blood oxygenation, for sleep apnea detection
- Caldera core body temperature heat flux systems
- Bodycap ingestible telemetry for core body temperature measurement
- Performance laboratory for simultaneous cognitive testing
- Gorilla based suite of self-report and objective tests for in lab and remotely
- Firstbeat heart rate variability assessment.
We also have an HTA-licenced laboratory in which we can analyse blood and saliva samples for tracking hormones and neurotransmitters reflecting sleep and circadian activity.
Social and developmental lab
observation lab has a video and audio recording system with four cameras and two ceiling microphones in the main lab that record to a server PC in the separate observation room. Activity in the lab can also be discreetly observed live via the one-way mirror. This lab can also be used for one-on-one or small group interviews.
Virtual reality suite
VR is a growth area of research across many research groups within NTU Psychology. We have two labs dedicated to VR research and a range of VR equipment that can be used within these labs or elsewhere. We have three HTC Vive systems with “room-scale” positional tracking. Two of the systems also have integrated Tobii eye tracking. We also have several Meta Quest and Oculus Go headsets.
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Discover our Psychology courses
By choosing Psychology at NTU, you'll explore the secrets of what makes us human, what it means to be alive, and why we behave in the ways we do.
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