The Wireless Motion Sensor connects via Bluetooth or USB to your device, and uses ultrasound to measure the position, velocity, and acceleration of objects. This enables students to take turns measuring themselves, while the class observes their motion materializing as a graph in real time. The sensor can detect objects ranging from 15 cm to 4.0 m away, and without cables to get in the way, students can explore handheld and ceiling-mounted applications. 

Applications

• Measure the motion of moving objects
• Explore the relationship between position, velocity, and acceleration
• Measure objects in freefall
• Measure how air resistance affects falling objects
• Investigate frames of reference
• Investigate the Conservation of Energy and Momentum
• Simple harmonic motion
• Seafloor mapping

How It Works

The Wireless Motion Sensor uses echolocation, similar to a dolphin or bat. In order to determine the distance to an object, an ultrasonic pulse is emitted from the sensor. The sensor listens for a signature ‘echo’ which reflects off the object’s surface. The object's distance is calculated by determining the elapsed time between the ultrasonic pulse and detected echo, then, this value is used with the speed of sound to calculate the object's distance. Measurements of velocity and acceleration are derived algorithmically using numerical methods. This provides a balanced approach to calculating numerical derivatives, which reduces noise and minimizes smoothing effects on high frequency peaks.