Tech checks with Ethnio

Know your participants are ready before the session starts

AI Optional
PII Safety Locked

Tech Checks let participants record a short sample video and/or audio inside your screener via intercept or link. Ethnio scores their setup from 1.0 to 5.0 so you can know they’ll show up for the interview ready and qualified.

REC 🎙️ Recording sample… 0:04 / 0:10 READINESS SCORE 4.6 / 5.0 ✓ Session-ready Camera 4.8 Lighting 4.5 Framing 4.9 Microphone 4.2 Articulation AI 4.6

Detailed scoring for every participant before your session

Participants record a short clip inside your screener. Ethnio scores their setup instantly.

Interview Readiness Score PARTICIPANT SCORE 🇺🇸 Sarah K. 4.7 🇧🇷 Tomás R. 3.2 🇯🇵 Yuki M. 4.9 🇮🇳 Priya S. 2.8 🇬🇧 James W. 4.4

Filter and qualify based on tech checks and other participant ratings

Build qualification rules that combine tech check scores with any other screener response.

If Tech check score (Remote) × Greater than 3 And If Overall rating × Greater than 4 |

Five checks. Every angle covered.

Toggle only the checks that matter for your study. Each one is independent and individually scored.

Camera

Evaluates image clarity and overall usability of the participant's camera setup. Fully local — no video ever leaves their device.

Lighting

Checks that the participant's face is clearly visible and not backlit or in shadow. A simple fix that makes a huge difference.

Framing

Confirms the participant's face is properly centered in the frame — neither too far away nor uncomfortably close.

Microphone

Assesses speech clarity and background noise levels. Clean audio is essential for accurate transcription and clear recordings.

Articulation

Uses AI to evaluate language expression ability. AI credits are used and the video is deleted after analysis — never used for training.

All non-AI checks run entirely on device

Camera, lighting, framing, and microphone checks never share participant video or audio with any LLM or external API. Full stop.

Interview readiness score from 1.0 to 5.0

After recording their sample, each participant gets a composite score based on whichever checks you enabled. Scores appear right alongside your other screener responses.

4.0 – 5.0 Session-ready Setup looks good. Proceed with confidence. 3.0 – 3.9 Minor issues Worth a quick review before joining the call. Below 3.0 Attention needed Individual check results will show exactly what to fix.

Tech checks fit into Ethnio AI infrastructure & governance

Ethnio AI agents only access the data and actions you choose, always with the model you select

Learn about Ethnio AI infrastructure
Ethnio MCP Access directly from the AI systems your team already uses Ethnio Agent Have your engineers create any kind of custom access Ethnio API Have your engineers create any kind of custom access Ethnio Tech Checks Any participant data collected here adheres to settings below Ethnio Platform Panel Studies Incentives Governance Permissions Guard rails, safety, and privacy mechanisms Every route is compliant with your user access permissions, restrictions on what can be accessed from participant data, and safety checks on PII

Tech checks flow into participant ratings

Every tech check score automatically becomes part of a participant's unified rating, alongside facilitator questions and attendance, so you have the full picture in one place.

Tech check ratings Scored on camera, lighting, framing, mic & articulation 📋 Questions for ratings Editable questions for facilitators 1 How would you rate the overall quality of this participant? 1 (Poor) – 5 (Excellent) 2 There are no ratings so I can keep doing this easily 1 (Ineffective) – 5 (Highly effective) 3 Would you recommend this participant for future studies? Yes / No 📅 Attendance ratings Automatically recorded when a session is marked complete or no-show. ⭐ Rating 4.9 1 tech check (4.0 x 0.25) + 1 rating (5.0 x 1) + 1 attendance (5.0 x 0.5) (0.25 weight) 4.0 (full weight) 5.0 (0.5 weight) 5.0

How it works

01

Add Tech Check to your screener

Enable it from the screener editor and pick which checks to run. Articulation uses AI credits; the rest are free.

02

Participants record a short sample

Enable it from the screener editor and pick which checks to run. Articulation uses AI credits; the rest are free.

03

Ethnio scores each component

Camera, lighting, framing, mic, and articulation are each evaluated and combined into a single 1.0–5.0 score.

04

Review scores alongside responses

Scores appear inline with all other screener data. Scannable icons let you spot issues at a glance without watching every video.

Control AI access to Participant PII in tech checks

Non-AI checks run entirely in the participant's browser. No video or audio ever leaves their device for those checks. The articulation AI check processes audio only for scoring. No PII is shared with AI.

Local processing

Camera, lighting, framing & mic checks never touch a server

AI Optional

Enable or disable AI features anytime with full control

PII Safety Locked

Audio is processed solely for scoring and never linked to personal data

Frequently asked questions

Absolutely. Ethnio’s panel management software is engineered to support small and large-scale research operations and diverse panel requirements. It is built to manage growth in data and user activity, meeting the ongoing needs of large teams overseeing hundreds of studies and extensive participant pools.

Our panel management solution features advanced performance management and team-based workflows, optimizing collaboration across research projects. You can ensure precise segmentation and dynamic updates with customization options, including tailored intercepts and screeners across 30+ targeting variables. Integration with essential tools like Zoom, Outlook, and Google Calendar streamlines research processes, boosting operational efficiency across large teams.

Additionally, Ethnio supports various panel types—general, specialized, and ad-hoc—ensuring that your panels remain current and relevant for targeted recruitment strategies and research at scale.

Absolutely. Our user research CRM integrates with the tools research teams rely on, including Outlook, Google Calendar, DocuSign, Zoom, and Slack. Additionally, our powerful API and webhooks enable seamless two-way data sync with any CRM.

Data handling is streamlined through automatic import/export with CSV and Google Sheets, reducing manual entry and enhancing accuracy. For privacy and compliance, integrations with tools like Transcend automate GDPR and CCPA processes, including user opt-outs based on their email address and data erasure (DSRs).

You can find the full list of integrations here

Ethnio also integrates with visitor management systems (VMS) to send participant consent and approval to front desk check-ins, streamlining the research process and reducing manual admin tasks.

Discuss VMS integration on an Enterprise call

We also offer support for custom integrations. Simply reach out, and our dedicated support team, supported by detailed developer documentation, will assist you. By connecting your preferred tools to your participant database, you can maintain your favorite methodologies and tools with your own real users, ensuring minimal disruption to your existing workflows and a seamless integration into your research stack.

At Ethnio, protecting your data is our top priority. We implement robust security measures to protect participant data, including advanced encryption for data in transit and at rest, SOC 2 certifications, and adherence to major data protection regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA.

Customer data is stored in AWS US West (Oregon), a SOC 2 Type 2 accredited data center, and we have achieved SOC 2 Type 1 certification from A-LIGN. Regular security audits and detailed documentation on data breach response protocols further ensure that your sensitive data is protected.

To prevent unauthorized access, we support two-factor authentication (2FA).

Conduct research with confidence, knowing that your data is securely protected. For additional details on our security practices and compliance features, please visit Ethnio Security.

Ethnio centralizes your entire recruitment process into a single, easy-to-use platform. Gain complete control over every stage—from participant recruitment and onboarding to incentive distribution—eliminating the need for multiple systems and third-party platforms.

Import participant data from various sources, including global opt-in pages, recruiting agencies, marketing databases, customer opt-in pages, and tools like Qualtrics and Salesforce. Ethnio supports participant lists in multiple formats, such as CSV and Google Sheets, allowing for dynamic filters and segments to target participants based on custom attributes, survey results, and engagement history.

Onboarding is streamlined with customizable workflows for registration, consent collection, and initial engagement for smooth integration of new participants. Incentive management is flexible, with options for monetary compensation, gift cards, and other payment methods tailored to participant preferences and study needs.

Additionally, features like opt-out management and participant history tracking ensure compliance, helping you adhere to data protection regulations while managing the recruitment process end‑to‑end.

We understand that a successful transition involves more than just features. We’re here to support you throughout the implementation process and beyond, ensuring you fully leverage the platform to run research at scale. From the start, our team provides personalized one-on-one onboarding to facilitate a seamless setup. Our training sessions and resources equip your team with the knowledge needed to maximize Ethnio’s capabilities. Once operational, you’ll have access to extensive support documentation and a dedicated customer success team ready to assist with any technical issues or best practices.

Get a demo

Recruit participants ready, scored, and set to go

See how Ethnio helps UX teams find, screen, schedule, and pay participants — all in one place, without the spreadsheet juggling.

Book a demo

We’d love to show you

  • How to recruit screened participants in under 10 minutes
  • Automated scheduling, consent, and incentive payouts
  • Managing a participant pool your whole team can use
  • How Ethnio fits your existing research workflow
Book a demo
Shirin
Director of Sales
Shirin from Ethnio
Kyle
Product Design
Kyle from Ethnio
Melissa
Customer Support
Melissa from Ethnio