A Walk in Our 'Shoe : the history of Ohio Stadium

(Image: Human Performance Center, 1966) The space under the Stadium's stands, isolated, insulated and naturally dark, provided ideal space for several laboratories. Established in 1938 to support research in pilot selection and training, the Laboratory of Aviation Psychology moved in 1964 from the Research Foundation into a one-story bay beneath the east side stands. Rechristened the Human Performance Center, the program grew into a second floor in November 1965. Dedicated to elucidating "man-machine interaction," the Center sought out 300 student subjects, to be paid $1.25 an hour, for experiments in "decision making, tracking, vigilance, radar and probability determination." For at least two weeks, in sessions lasting four hours a day, students centered a needle on a dial, memorized projected shapes, and in pairs landed an airplane in a rudimentary flight simulator.