1 Introduction to Measurement
This first lab will prepare you to successfully complete all the remaining labs for this course. The main purpose of this lab is to help you learn how to use the IOLab hardware and software.
Below you will find the Instructions for how to complete this lab. You will notice that these instructions are not written in a typical science lab format. This is because this lab is designed for you to explore what the hardware and software can do. You will need to follow these instructions side by side with the Worksheet for everything to make sense.
For each lab you will submit your completed worksheet to Moodle. See the grading rubric at the end of each lab page to see how you will be graded.
Lab 1 Worksheet Introduction to Measurement
You can access the rest of the labs as well as the IOLab Setup section and the Useful Links page by clicking on the Contents dropdown menu in the upper left part of this page.
Learning Goals:
- Gain proficiency in the use of the IOLab hardware and software.
Part 1: Installing the IOLab Software
Go to https://iolab.science and download the IOLab application. You can also check out the Installing the Software page under the IOLab Setup section of this lab manual for a tutorial video.
Part 2: Calibrating the IOLab Sensors
Open the IOLab software and plug in the USB dongle. Then turn on your IOLab device. After the device has connected, click on the settings tab and choose Calibration>Remote 1>Force. Then follow the instructions to calibrate the force sensor. You can also check out the Calibrating the Hardware page under the IOLab Setup section of this lab manual for a tutorial video.
Follow the same procedure to calibrate the accelerometer. From the settings tab choose Calibration>Remote 1>Accel – magn – gyro.
Part 3: Collecting Data
In this part you will learn how to collect and analyze data using the IOLab device and the IOLab software. You can also check out the Looking at Your Data page under the IOLab Setup section of this lab manual for a tutorial video. See Parts 4 and 5 to learn how to save and share your data.
- Screenshots: Take neat and professional looking screenshots of all of your data. (Windows has the Snipping tool and Mac has a “Screenshot” tool.) When grading your worksheet responses, you will not receive credit for including unprofessional looking graphs such as pictures taken of the computer screen using a phone camera.
- Zooming and Panning: Try to zoom in on your data. Then try to zoom back out. Find the panning button and try to move the graph around. When including screenshots of your graphs in the worksheet responses, they must be zoomed in appropriately to receive full credit.
- The Data Tool: Try recording some data and use the data tool to click and drag over a portion of the graph. The data tool button is next to the zoom button and looks like a histogram. Four data items appear near the top of the graph – 𝜇, 𝜎, a, and s. Determine what information these items are telling you.
- Basic Sensors: The IOLab device has many sensors that you can use without doing anything to the device itself. Try recording some data with one of these sensors: Barometer, Battery, Light, Magnetometer, Microphone, and Thermometer. Determine what the sensor measures and with what units. If the sensor you choose does not have units, explain how to interpret the graph readings. Come up with some ideas for what the sensor could be useful for measuring.
- Force and Wheel Sensors: Try recording some data with the Force and Wheel sensors to see what these sensors measure. On the force graph, be sure to zoom in on to show all the details. On the wheel graph, use the data tool to “highlight” a region of interest.
- Determining Average Velocity: Using the Position vs Time graph for the wheel sensor, determine the average velocity over a certain interval.
- Sharing your Data: Find and click on the icon that looks like a cloud. Then “Register as a new user”. Once you are logged in, you will see that the cloud now also has an arrow. When you click on this it will upload your current Acquisition. The tag icon in the upper right will provide you with a direct link that you can copy and paste. In the bottom left you can start typing in someone’s email address and you will be provided with choices of people to share it with.
Part 4: Saving Data
Every time you collect data, the software saves it so you can access it later. The software calls these “Acquisitions”. To access these, click on 
. You will see a list of acquisitions starting with the most recent. Each of these is labeled with a date and time. To make it easier to find a particular acquisition later on, you can click on the pencil icon,
, and add a comment. Then click save. Note that when you access a previous acquisition there may be one or more sensor graphs that you did not choose to measure with but that show up anyway. Depending on the sensor you choose to record with, one or more other sensors will automatically record in the background. You can simply uncheck these sensors if you don’t want to see these graphs.
Part 5: Sharing Data
If you are working with a team, you will want to share data with each other. The following link will walk you through how to do this:
https://mhe.my.site.com/macmillanlearning/s/article/iOLab-Sharing-Data
Grading Rubric:
Points are assigned for each worksheet question according to the following:
Lab 1 Grading Rubric 131 Manual
| 1 | 2 Points – One of the sensors is identified AND a reasonable description of what it measures is present.
1 Point – One of the sensors is identified BUT the description of what it measures is either not present or makes no sense. 0 Points – The sensor is not identified AND the description of what it measures is either not present or makes no sense. |
| 2 | 1 Point – The appropriate unit is stated OR for the Light and Microphone sensors, there is a reasonable explanation of how to interpret the
graph readings is present. 0 Points – No unit is stated or the explanation of how to interpret the graph readings makes no sense. |
| 3 | 2 Points – A reasonable application is given.
1 Point – An application is given but does not make sense. 0 Points – No attempt was made. |
| 4 | 3 Points – A professional looking screenshot is included AND zoomed in to show all the details.
2 Points – There is a professional looking screenshot AND an attempt was made to zoom in but the zooming is insufficient to show all the details. 1 Point – There is a professional looking screenshot but no attempt was made to zoom in to show details. 0 Points – A screenshot is not included OR the screenshot is taken of the computer screen with a phone camera or similar. |
| 5 | 3 Points – A professional looking screenshot is included AND zoomed in to show details.
2 Points – There is a professional looking screenshot AND an attempt was made to zoom in but the zooming is insufficient to show the necessary details. 1 Point – There is a professional looking screenshot but no attempt was made to zoom in to show details. 0 Points – A screenshot is not included OR the screenshot is taken of the computer screen with a phone camera or similar. |
| 6 | 2 Points – There is a reasonable explanation of what the force sensor measures.
1 Point – An attempt was made to explain what the force sensor measures but the explanation is inaccurate. 0 Points – No attempt was made. |
| 7 | 2 Points – There is a reasonable explanation of what the wheel sensor measures.
1 Point – An attempt was made to explain what the wheel sensor measures but the explanation is inaccurate. 0 Points – No attempt was made. |
| 8 | 2 Points – A professional looking screenshot is included AND a region of interest is highlighted using the data tool.
1 Point – There is a professional looking screenshot but no attempt was made to highlight a region of interest. 0 Points – A screenshot is not included OR the screenshot is taken of the computer screen with a phone camera or similar. |
| 9 | 4 Points – All four items are identified correctly.
3 Points – Three items are identified correctly. 2 Points – Two items are identified correctly. 1 Point – One item is identified correctly. 0 Points – No items are identified correctly. |
| 10 | 3 Points – A professional looking screenshot is included AND zoomed in appropriately.
2 Points – There is a professional looking screenshot AND an attempt was made to zoom in but the zooming is insufficient to show the necessary details. 1 Point – There is a professional looking screenshot but no attempt was made to zoom in to show details. 0 Points – A screenshot is not included OR the screenshot is taken of the computer screen with a phone camera or similar. |
