data logger and analysis software, MIT

https://code.google.com/p/extrae/

Hi! I was checking about physics and science projects for arduino and came up with your page. I’m very happy to tell you that I’ve just made available an open source software for data extraction and basic analysis using Arduino, java and JavaFX. This ṕroject dates a long time ago (maybe a year or two) and we were hoping to get the time to make it available soon but we haven’t had the time to make the code “nice and tidy” (we had the project practically stopped for a year). It has MIT license (you can do anything you want with it). If you use it some feedback is very appreciated as we plan on restarting it soon.
The project’s page is :
http://code.google.com/p/extrae/
Hope you have fun with it,
Bests!

(from http://quarkstream.wordpress.com/lessons-in-arduino/)

thoughts on arduinos in PHY100L/200L labs

• Students should be left to focus on the physics, with only some awareness about the arduino and its function as a tool -- not too much (or any?) programming, and minimize technical bugs if at all possible.
• Technical issue minimization:


• possible to load routines onto multiple arduinos at once?
•  possible to load several routines onto a single arduino?  Maybe we can work-around by measuring from several channels simultaneously, and if there is a LO/HI signal then that channel is ignored in outputting to the computer...  Need to check memory requirements to estimate the size of program that is realistic on an Arduino (gut: it should work fine for having 3-5 functions, such as: send/receive audio clicks at regular intervals (~20 ms), receive IR sensor info at regular intervals (for pulley black/white or for sensor of pendulum slipping by).

Term project ideas -- into labs and demos

Force sensor
https://www.manylabs.org/docs/project/forceSensor/

Construct a force sensor using the above link as inspiration.  A simple spring will be used to move a variable resistor -- this then changes the voltage measured, which one can use to correlate with how much force one pushed on the spring.
Calibrate it.  Test it out.  What are the limits?  How sensitive is your force sensor (what is the smallest increment in force that it can detect)?



Pulley rotation sensor
https://www.manylabs.org/docs/project/pulley/

Ever wonder how an old-school mouse uses the motion of the ball to track where you are moving a cursor on a screen?  This is the same idea.  Two photo sensors are needed to determine which way the pulley is rotating.  This can be used to make precise measurements of the motion of things that are connected through the pulley, such as an Atwood's machine setup.
Once this has been constructed and the hardware works, make the device output (either to computer or LCD display) the rotational speed -- e.g., in RPMs, or rad/sec.


Egg drop
https://www.manylabs.org/docs/project/eggDrop/
(Not required to make this wireless -- can be designed so that the data is read out later)
Here you'll put an accelerometer inside with an egg in a box and measure the acceleration as the egg is dropped from a tall height (such as a second story building).  What is the max acceleration?  What acceleration breaks the egg?  How does this compare with the force needed to break a similar egg (tested, e.g., by putting weights on top of the egg)?


Sound for measuring position / speed of sound
Speaker and microphone combo allow you to measure the time that it takes for a sound wave to bounce off a surface.  Using this device along with a cart can help you measure the position of the cart at several times, ultimately letting you plot its trajectory.


light source / photosensor for detecting when something goes by

Here you will set up an LED (or laser) and send it onto a photosensor.  If something blocks the path between the laser and the photosensor, then the time should be recorded. We can use this for example to measure the oscillation period of a pendulum.

more brainstorming

notes from a recent meeting with Evan, Tom, and Nelson:

idea: concepts building on each other

encoder --> potentiometer
motor
pendulum mounted from a linear stage (too complicated?)


it's important to isolate physics concepts without too much technical stuff.  more technical stuff --> more chance of technical issues --> less chance of a physics concept being driven home to student.

where in the U.S. (or world) are the most interesting and creative freshman physics labs being done?


quantity comparisons -- e.g. power from a solar cell

tripping a circuit (evan)

integrate with ME, MET, FET tracks.  hardware/software..

2 pt vs 4 pt measurement

kappa/sigma -- measure each/

tom: will forward labs used in instrumentation

goerge weissensides -- how to write a journal publication  (??? could not find... evan?)

tom thinks it might be a good idea to have students write a lab report, or at least an abstract.

idea: potentiometer


we plan to meet with mike holden and ask about his experiences with microcontrollers (arduinos specifically?) and education.

PHY is the foundation of many students' experiences.

some senior design projects seemed ambitious.

lab idea -- characterize several unknown materials.

ohm's law, fourier's law, voltage, temperature

student competitions: rally challenge, john rogers -- cal sailing team robot


john fisher