Educational usages of acceleration sensors

Question

Hello!

I'm working in a higher school in Austria and I'm currently evaluation how acceleration sensors can be used to deepen fundamental understandings (physics, mathematics, electronics, software engineering, project management, user interface [iPhone]...) and achive better motivation of the students (for example by giving a far milestone like an autopilot).

However this doesn't seem to be a widely used idea; acceleration sensors are used somewhere at universities for different projects and are included in some modern hardware or gadgets (iPhone).

I'd like to know if there is somebody who knows about educational projects that use these sensors in any kind of subject?

thanks

Answer 1

It's not at the high school level, but I know that the ACTIVE Lab at University of Central Florida has a few projects that use the accelerometers from the WiiMote.
http://www.bespokesoftware.org/wordpress/?p=36

Another interesting project with the WiiMote can be found here (Doesn't use the accelerometer, but still cool nonetheless):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd3-eiid-Uw

I'm personally not familiar with any other accelerometer projects, but best of luck in your search ... the more knowledge about this type of interaction that can be spread the better :-)

Answer 2

i'd use wiimotes if i were you, they are cheap, versatile and associated with fun :)

to actually show students what's going on, Flash is the simplest way you can create any kind of visual feedback using wiiflash, hardly any coding is needed.

this way it's up to you and the actual subject to do something interesting, like dropping the wiimote while standing on the table and plotting speed values in a coordinate system to show acceleration while freefalling in a physics class :)