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.
The responses you need to submit are highlighted in blue. You will need to submit these responses in the Gradescope assignment called Lab 1. See the grading rubric at the end of each lab page to see how you will be graded.
You can access the rest of the labs as well as 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: Accessing the IOLab Software
Go to https://iolabs.macmillanlearning.com/ to access the IOLab application. The following video will give you a tour of the software: Software Tour.
Part 2: Calibrating the IOLab Sensors
Plug the USB dongle into your computer and then click on “Connect the dongle”. There should be one option to click on after which you can click on “Connect”. Then press the power button to turn on your IOLab device. After the device has connected, click on “Remote 1” to reveal a dropdown menu. Then click on “Calibrate” to reveal a dropdown menu for the three calibration options. For this course you will want to calibrate the force and accelerometer sensors. Calibrate these now. This process will calibrate the sensors of the IOLab device to your computer. You only need to do this once as long as you are using the same computer.
Part 3: Collecting Data
In this part you will learn how to collect and analyze data using the IOLab device and the IOLab software. See Parts 4 and 5 to learn how to save and share your data.
- Recording Data: Click on “Acquisition set” to get a list of sensors to choose. Choose the “Magnetometer” sensor and click “Validate your configuration”. Uncheck the Bx and By options. Click the Record button
and observe the data collected. To stop collecting data, click on the Record button again. The magnetometer sensor just recorded the vertical component of earth’s magnetic field where you are. - Zooming and Panning: There are 3 buttons for zooming in
. The first one will zoom the entire region you select. The second button will zoom only side to side. The third button will zoom only top to bottom. Try to zoom in on your data. Then try to zoom back out by clicking once on the graph. Find the “Drag the chart” button 
and try to move the graph around. When including screenshots of your graphs in your responses, they must be zoomed in appropriately to receive full credit. - The Select region Tool: Click the “Select region” button
and try to click and drag over a portion of the graph. Two data items appear above the graph – 𝜇 and 𝜎. Determine what information these items are telling you (Hint: the “Trendline” dropdown menu is associated with the Select region tool). If you click on the “Trendline” dropdown menu you will find more options in addition to “Mean” that you just used. The next two options are “Area” and “Linear regression”. Determine what information these options give you. Q4: What information do the Select region tool items – 𝜇, 𝜎, area, and Linear regression – tell you? - 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 responses, you will not receive credit for including unprofessional looking graphs such as pictures taken of the computer screen using a phone camera.
- Basic Sensors: In addition to the magnetometer sensor, 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, Microphone, or Thermometer. To do this, you will need to either click on the “Add acquisition set” button
or the “Create new report” button 
. You may need to turn the IOLab device back on if the Record button is darkened. 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. Q1.1: Which Basic Sensor did you try measuring with? What does this sensor measure?, Q1.2: What units does the sensor measure in?, Q1.3: What could the sensor be useful for measuring?, Q1.4: Insert a screenshot of the collected data. Be sure it is zoomed in appropriately. - 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 graphs, use the Select region tool to highlight a region of interest. Q2.1: Insert a screenshot of the collected data. Be sure it is zoomed in appropriately., Q2.2: What does the force sensor measure?, Q3.1: What do the 3 wheel sensors measure?, Q3.2: Insert a screenshot of the collected data. Be sure it is highlighted appropriately.
- Determining Average Velocity: Using the Wheel Position sensor, determine the average velocity over a certain interval. Q5: Insert a screenshot of your average velocity data. What is the average velocity in m/s?
Part 4: Saving Data
To easily find your data later, be sure to name your report. The default name is “New report” but you can name it anything you want. You should also add some details to the “Description” box.
To save your data online, you will first need to login. Then you can click the “Save to My Reports in iOLab Web Library” button 
. You can then access the data from the “Open report from iOLab Web Library” Cloud button 
.
To save your data to your computer, click on the “Save to my computer” button 
. This will save a file to your Documents folder that you can upload later using the “Open report from my computer” Folder button 
.
Part 5: Sharing Data
If you are working with a team, you will want to share data with each other. The best way to do this is to click on the “Open report from iOLab Web Library” Cloud button and turn on the toggle switch button 
for the data you want to share. Then click on the “Copy report URL” button 
to get a link you can share with your teammates.
Grading Rubric:
Points are assigned for each Gradescope assignment question according to the following:
| 1.1 | 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. |
| 1.2 | 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. |
| 1.3 | 2 Points – A reasonable application is given.
1 Point – An application is given but does not make sense. 0 Points – No attempt was made. |
| 1.4 | 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. |
| 2.1 | 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. |
| 2.2 | 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. |
| 3.1 | 2 Points – There is a reasonable explanation of what the 3 wheel sensor measures.
1 Point – An attempt was made to explain what the 3 wheel sensors measure but the explanation is inaccurate. 0 Points – No attempt was made. |
| 3.2 | 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. |
| 4 | 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. |
| 5 | 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. |
