Transportable Research Instrument: a PDA-based laboratory for science experiments

Author

Skalsky, Nathan ; Pastel, Robert

Author_Institution

Michigan Technol. Univ., Houghton, MI, USA

fYear

2004

fDate

2004

Firstpage

199

Lastpage

200

Abstract

We introduce the Transportable Research Instrument (TRIcorder) system, an implementation of a PDA-based laboratory (PBL). The hardware component uses PDAs and wireless sensors to conduct and collect data for high school laboratory experiments. The software component, experimental assistant uses a gesturing user-interface to lead students through the experimental procedure and graphically present the experimental results. The TRIcorder system design attempts to capitalize on the unique PDA´s affordances of portability, context sensitivity, and individuality to implement a PBL.

Keywords

computer aided instruction; gesture recognition; microcomputer applications; notebook computers; portable instruments; sensors; student experiments; PDA-based laboratory; TRIcorder system; Transportable Research Instrument; context sensitivity; device portability; experimental assistant; gesturing user-interface; high school laboratory experiments; science experiments; software component; wireless sensors; Computer displays; Educational institutions; Hardware; Instruments; Kinematics; Laboratories; Lead; Personal digital assistants; Telemetry; Wireless sensor networks;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Wireless and Mobile Technologies in Education, 2004. Proceedings. The 2nd IEEE International Workshop on

Print_ISBN

0-7695-1989-X

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/WMTE.2004.1281387

Filename

1281387