The IMRC Center labs, maker spaces, and multifunction rooms provide a safe, supportive, and engaging environment for interdisciplinary research, innovation, experimentation, commercialization, creative arts, and co-curricular activities.
AV Labs 106
IMRC 106 - Audio Recording and Production Lab

Audiovisual Labs

The IMRC Center Audiovisual Lab suite includes a group listening and viewing space, electronic music production lab, live sound and theater lighting control room, multitrack recording and production lab, video production lab, and mixed-media production lab. Each lab can accommodate multiple individuals and are capable of interconnecting for collaborative multifunction use. Whether utilized individually or as a full AV suite, these labs offer a platform for creating AV content and serve to showcase innovation and foster research in AV and related fields.

The live sound and lighting control room and recording production lab connect to the Fernald Adaptive Presentation & Performance Environment: a 125 person black box theater and multifunction space. These connections allow multiple AV sources to be captured or played back in realtime to and from the IMRC Center’s premier presentation and performance space.

The group space can comfortably support fifteen and can be used as a classroom, presentation room, or meeting room for AV oriented organizations, clubs, and research groups.

Lab resources include: multiple 5.1 listening and 4k viewing environments, acoustically treated recording and listening spaces, mac-pro workstations, analog and digital recording equipment, audio production, engineering, mixing, and mastering equipment, sound and lighting consoles, audio testing tools, microphone cabinet, midi-keyboards, raid project hard-drives, and audiovisual production software including AVID Pro Tools and Adobe Creative Cloud Suite.

IMRC Audiovisual Lab Room 110
IMRC 110 - Media Production Lab

Prototyping Lab

The Prototyping Lab provides students, faculty, staff members, and community guests with opportunities to take a design from theory to practice in a safe and supportive learning environment. Serving as a multipurpose maker space and digital sketchpad in 2D & 3D, the IMRC Prototyping Lab fosters creative and collaborative communication of ideas through established and experimental pedagogies, tools, and processes.

The IMRC Prototyping Lab houses multiple stereolithographic, extrusion, and sandstone 3D printers, vinyl cutters and printers, large format digital color printing, 3D scanning, and Adobe Creative Cloud integrated computer stations.

IMRC Prototyping Lab
IMRC 121 - Prototyping Lab

IMRC Electronics Lab
IMRC 120 - Electronics Lab

Electronics Lab

The lasers in the electronics lab are among the most used resources at the IMRC due to ease of use, efficiency, and precision. From cutting wing spars out of balsa wood to highly intricate etching in leather, lasers are ideal for creative expression.

In addition to the Full Spectrum 120W Glass Tube Laser, and Universal VLS 4.60 50W Laser, the IMRC Electronics Lab also provides an electronics workbench with soldering irons, desoldering gun, multimeters, and oscilloscopes. For lab users who want to create their own circuits or use prefab circuit boards such as Arduino, the IMRC Electronics Lab also furnishes a circuit board printer and a fully stocked parts cabinet.


Fabrication Labs

Interested in post-processing or adding the finishing touches on a project, prototype, or piece of art? Perhaps you just want to get down to business and work with your hands? The IMRC Fabrication Labs offer a traditional workshop with hand-tools, hand-held power tools, table saw, bandsaw, sanders, planer, miter, drill press, vacuum former, and paint spray booth. Additionally, the Fabrication Labs are also outfitted with fully-integrated high-performance compressed air and dust collection systems. All lab users are trained to safely access the lab and encouraged to learn new and traditional ways of hand-assembling and finishing their creations for presentation.

IMRC Fabrication Lab
IMRC 115 - Fabrication Lab

Fab Labs - Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Lab

Whether it’s laser-cut maquettes or 3D printed designs, the CNC is where final iterations of many real-world prototypes come to fruition. As an extension of the IMRC Fabrication Lab, the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Lab focuses on digital manufacturing and the complex routing of wood, plastic, copper, brass, and aluminum.

The ShopSabre 48×96 inch table router can operate on plywood sheets and other types of metal or plastic and is equipped with a vacuum hold-down system that eliminates the need for clamping materials to the table.

IMRC C.N.C. Lab in Room 116
IMRC 116 - CNC Lab

Multifunction Spaces at the IMRC Center

Photo of person presenting at one of the IMRC rooms
Symposium at the Fernald Adaptive Presentation & Performance Environment

IMRC 104 - The Fernald Adaptive Presentation & Performance Environment

The Allen 54′ and Sally 55′ Fernald Adaptive Presentation & Performance Environment is a multifunction and modular space that can be utilized in its full volume (125 persons) or partitioned into smaller production, experimentation, and presentation areas.

This modular environment can support many different projects, goals, and outcomes such as installations, galleries, construction, testing and experimentation, filming and sound staging, photography, musical recording, production and performance, theatre, dance, and classroom and co-curricular use.

Additionally, the Fernald Adaptive Presentation and Performance Environment is outfitted with the technology necessary for groups or individuals to provide an excellent exhibition and presentation, ideal for unveiling, discussing, and recognizing projects, research, artworks, and performances.

Movable walls, curtains, scrims, and windows, adjustable sound and lighting devices, freeform seating for up to 75 persons, and a retractable exterior wall for outdoor facing projection or performance (weather permitting) encourage innovative uses for the space.

Other resources of the space include: a green screen, 20′ reverse projection screen, 2K digital projector, JBL loudspeakers and subwoofers, Sennheiser wireless microphones, and a robust and user-friendly Crestron Audiovisual infrastructure.

Art exhibit in the APPE space
Exhibition at the Fernald Adaptive Presentation & Performance Environment

IMRC 103 - Immersive Audiovisual Environment

With a working capacity for up to 25 persons, the Immersive Audiovisual Environment at the Innovative Media Research and Commercialization Center supports audiovisual projects, installations, exhibitions, research, presentations, and curricular and co-curricular use across a wide range of needs. Technology in the space includes four NEC 4K projectors (scaled by an iMac Pro to a combined 8K 360° video map), Mackie Pro-Studio speakers arranged in blended quadrophonic audio, Focusrite Scarlet 18i20 audio interface, and two Audio-Technica PRO 45 ProPoint cardioid condenser hanging microphones.

Waves projected on the wall of the 103 video projection mapping environment at IMRC Center
IMRC 103 - Immersive Audiovisual Environment

IMRC 112 - Information Technology Classroom
IMRC 112 - Information Technology Classroom

IMRC 112 - Information Technology Classroom

As a multifunction space designed to be comfortable for up to 25 persons, the Information Technology Classroom at the Innovative Media Research and Commercialization Center features four large smart tv screens mounted on fully whiteboarded walls. With a movable teaching position and grouped table and seating arrangement, IMRC 112 is well-positioned in support of flexible and collaborative learning. Additionally, along one wall, a large-format projector, screen, and speakers are positioned for shared instruction and presentation. Further audiovisual support is provided in the form of available connections to a turnkey Extron classroom audiovisual system and control panel.


IMRC 113 - Computer Lab Classroom

Comfortably accommodating 25 persons, and outfitted with 17 workstations, the Computer Lab Classroom at the Innovative Media Research and Commercialization Center is designed to provide students, faculty, and guests with excellent classroom technology resources. Each workstation currently utilizes both MAC OSX and Windows 10 and is outfitted with industry-standard mixed-media composition and editing software including Adobe CC, Apple Final Cut, Fusion 360, and Solidworks. Additionally, along one wall, a large-format projector, screen, and speakers are positioned for shared instruction and presentation. Similar to IMRC 112, further audiovisual support in 113 is provided in the form of available connections to a turnkey Extron classroom audiovisual system and control panel.

IMRC 113 - High Performance Computer Cluster Classroom
IMRC 113 - Computer Lab Classroom

IMRC 122 - Conference Room
IMRC 122 - Seminar and Conference Room

IMRC 122 - Seminar and Conference Room

The Seminar and Conference Room at the Innovative Media Research and Commercialization Center can comfortably accommodate up to 15 persons and is designed to support staff and faculty meetings, project working groups and focus groups, student clubs, film screenings, video conferences, and webinar development. IMRC 122 is outfitted with a 70” high-resolution display panel, region-free DVD and Blu-ray player, MacMini computer, wall-mounted PTZ camera, and wireless microphones. As a video-conference friendly environment, IMRC 122 is FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, GoToMeeting, and Google Meet ready. Audiovisual controls are accessed via the wireless keyboard and mouse and wireless touch-panel.


IMRC Center Facilities have been designed to provide opportunities to explore independent learning platforms and encourage innovation, decision making, critical analysis, synthesis, and reflection.