As our Research and Development team works towards the release of the LipSync X later this year, we wanted to shine a light on some of the internal testing our team has been doing.

While user testing has always played a big part of the process — the most important part of the process is listening to the people who need to use the device, and how it works for them — we’ve also made it a priority to do more automated testing with machines designed to test the LipSync.

With automated testing, we can anticipate problems that may occur down the line with a lot of use, perhaps because of wear and tear over say 10,000 uses, or perhaps a software issue that slows down the operating speed over time. A bit of lifecycle testing, which we haven’t had much of a chance to do with previous iterations of the LipSync.

You never know what bugs might arise during the use lifetime of a device, so this can allow us to be more proactive rather than reactive in fixing certain issues.

We can also replicate problems that LipSync users encounter during user testing with the mechanical set-ups, so that we accurately diagnose the problem and find solutions.

Automated testing also allows us to test new ways of doing things and see if they still work as or more effectively, for example, a more cost-effective solution to the microcontroller that could shave $20 off of the cost of parts.

We’ve developed several jigs to test the LipSync:

Centering Testing Jig

One of the main pieces of negative feedback we received from users on previous iterations of the LipSync was unwanted cursor drift. Essentially, the cursor might drift when you didn’t want it to, when it was supposed to be still.

This relatively simple machine simulates a long period using the LipSync. The device repeatedly spins and pushes the mouthpiece to the side before releasing it.

What we’re trying to see is if over several hours, or over how many cycles, it develops drift over time. We can discover the issue, and when it might happen, and come up with solutions.

Coordinate Testing Jig

This jig is a little more complex.

In this one, we can program a coordinate or a movement pattern, and the jig will move the mouthpiece to those coordinates. We can see what happens when the user takes the mouthpiece all the way to the edge, when they do circular motions, really any kind of movement patterns.

It’s essentially a virtual LipSync user, and allows us to test for a lot of different usage patterns and test it for a large number of cycles.

This post originally appeared on the Makers Making Change (new window) website.