Work-in-progress: iOS Devices as DAQ and hardware for experiments in class to enhance the real touch, feel and see experiences

摘要

In today's world, sensors are everywhere and they are used extensively in every walk of life. Sensors are used for opening and closing doors, to ensure you have your seat belt on, house alarm systems, traffic monitoring and control, almost every industrial process and many more applications. Using sensors and sensor data in engineering classrooms is becoming increasingly beneficial for engineering education. It motivates students to pursue science and engineering disciplines as well as associated career paths. Lessons in the classroom quickly become more interesting and engaging. Advances in mobile devices, education, business and research have resulted in the use of powerful microprocessors with an array of capabilities and sensors built in. Mobile devices are capable of word processing, Internet access, and some are even capable of preliminary human motion analysis. It seems like our students are "born with a mobile device" and these devices come equipped with several sensors, such as i) camera (often multiple), ii) Microphone (often multiple), iii) 3-axis Accelerometer (of interest to this WIP (Work In Progress)) iv) 3-axis Gyroscope (of future interest to this WIP) and v) Proximity, Ambient Light, Touch, Magnetometer (compass), etc.