Canonical doesn't, gnome does. http://usability.gnome.org/

(1) Novell (the guys with more money) do.

(1a) I care about usability a _lot_ and I don't have a lab. A simple pc in a room is quite adequate for most studies. (For some of them you don't even need a pc)

(2) https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel-discuss/2007-...