PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE THE 2048/2049 STUDIO EQUIPMENT TO WIRELESS - FSU ITS

PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE THE 2048/2049 STUDIO EQUIPMENT
                    TO WIRELESS
                   Barbara Reyes, Paul Cottle, Susan Blessing, David Van Winkle
                                     Department of Physics, FSU

 Project summary:
 We request funds to acquire hardware which will allow transforming our present lab experiments
 in the Studio versions of courses PHY2048 and PHY2049 to a completely wireless system. This
 is motivated by two considerations:
         After the current year (2017) the wired equipment interfaces will no longer be
            available from the manufacturer of our equipment.
         Not needing wired connections makes doing the experiments much easier.
The complete cost of this upgrade (for both courses) is $29,321 (see budget table later).
The total number of students affected is about 550 per year.

 Project description and background information:

 For the past several years, the Physics Studio type class format has been introduced and adapted
 by the Department as a new method to teach Physics. This method focuses on students learning
 physics concepts through hands-on experiments. The laboratory equipment used in these courses
 is primarily developed by PASCO specializing in experimental set-ups that involve computer
 assisted and real time data taking.
 In the past, PASCO implemented this data taking process using an interface (the GLX Explorer
 and the SPARKS Learning System) between the actual equipment and the computer. This is the
 system that we have in both our Physics Studio classrooms in HCB and MCH buildings. With the
 advent of wifi and wireless technology, PASCO has now revamped all its laboratory experiment
 products to utilize wireless connection to the computer, thus completely eliminating the need for
 GLX and SPARKS interfaces. PASCO will no longer be selling the GLX and SPARKS
 interface products after 2017, hence if any of our current interface units break, they can no longer
 be replaced.
 In light of this development at PASCO, this proposal aims to upgrade our current system by
 requesting the equipment needed to transform what we currently have into a completely wireless
 system. The most important ingredient in this upgrade is the PASCO product “Airlink” which
 provides the wireless link between a measuring device and the computer and which will replace
 the wired GLX and SPARKS interfaces. The Airlink is completely compatible with all our
 current equipment like the motion sensors, force sensors, magnetic field sensors and voltage
 sensors. This Airlink and a Bluetooth connection to the computer will make our current wired
 set up become completely wireless.

 Impact on instruction:
 This upgrade affects fifteen (15) experiments in the studio labs, eleven in PHY2048 and four in
 PHY2049.

 PHY2048 experiments:
    1. Match Graph – using the motion sensor to plot position vs. time.
    2. How Do You Roll – using the motion sensor to record velocity vs time and position vs

time graphs to study the equations of motion.
   3. Newton’s Second Law – using the motion sensor and force sensor to study F = ma.
   4. Slip Me Some Skin – using the force sensor and the motion sensor to study friction.
   5. Newton’s Third Law – using the force sensors to observe action/reaction pairs.
   6. Modified Atwood Machine – using the force sensor and motion sensor to study and
      predict accelerations of systems.
   7. Crash, Boom, Bang – using the motion sensor to verify conservation of momentum.
   8. NRG Lab – using the motion sensor to investigate potential and kinetic energies of a
      bouncing ball.
   9. Work-Energy Lab – using the force sensor and the motion sensor to study how change in
      mechanical energy relates to the work done by friction.
   10. Oscillations on a Spring – using the motion sensor and the force sensor to investigate
       periodic motion.
   11. Rolling, Rumbling, Racing – using the motion sensor to observe the motion of objects of
       different sizes and shape rolling down an inclined plane.

   PHY2049 experiments:

        1. Magnetic Field of a Coil – using the magnetic field sensor to measure the magnetic
           field inside a coil.
        2. Electromagnetic Induction – using the voltage sensor to measure the induced emf
           in a coil.
        3. Magnetic Field of a Permanent Magnet – using a magnetic field sensor to observe
           the variation of magnetic field strength as a function of distance.
        4. RC Circuit – using a voltage sensor to investigate the voltage across a capacitor
           as a function of time and to find its capacitive time constant.
In addition, this proposal also includes a request to purchase wireless pressure and wireless
temperature sensors along with the accompanying Ideal Gas Law Apparatus and Absolute Zero
Sphere to incorporate Ideal Gas Law experiments as a supplement to the Thermodynamics lab
activities for 2048 Studio. Currently, the 2048 Studio has only one experiment for
Thermodynamics.
Number of students affected:
Every Fall semester and Spring semester, two 2048 Studio classes and one 2049 Studio class are
normally taught and offered by the department. Another 2048 Studio Class is usually offered in
the summer. The 2048 Studio classroom has a maximum of 81 students and the 2049 Studio
classroom has a maximum of 72 students. Overall, this comes up to a total of about 405 students
a year for 2048 Studio and about 144 students a year for 2049 Studio.

             SEMESTER/COURSE             PHY2048 Studio           PHY2049 Studio
             Fall 2017                          162                      72
             Spring 2017                        162                      72
             Summer 2017                         81
             TOTAL                              405                      144

Project plan:
   The equipment will be acquired once the funds are available. Implementation, testing and
   rewriting the lab manuals will be done during the summer of 2018. There are manuals in place
   for most of the experiments that are affected and are currently used by the 2048/2049 classes.
   The only revision these manuals need is the removal of any references to the GLX/SPARKS
   units and replacing them with a general instruction on how to connect the measuring devices
   wirelessly to the computer. All other instructions about using the measuring devices and
   obtaining the data and computer-generated graphs remain the same. The manual for the
   additional experiments will also be written during the summer of 2018. We expect the new
   upgraded experiments to be operational in the Fall semester 2018.
   Project team:
  Barbara Reyes has a Master’s Degree in Physics and is an Instructional Specialist II at the
  Physics Department of the Florida State University. She is the Supervisor of the Undergraduate
  Physics Laboratories. She develops course materials for the physics laboratory classes and is
  responsible for revising and implementing upgrades to the physics laboratory experiments and
  equipment. She works with and assists the professors in developing experiments needed to
  enhance their curriculum. She is in charge of training the teaching assistants for the labs and
  teaches physics courses for Liberal Arts students. She worked with the professors in identifying
  needs, procurement of equipment, and ensuring the smooth operation of the Physics Studio
  classes when it was first implemented by the Physics Department several years ago.

  Dr. Paul Cottle, Dr. Susan Blessing and Dr. David Van Winkle are Professors of Physics at the
  Physics Department, Florida State University. They have taught various physics courses and
  conducted scientific research in their respective fields for many years. They are also responsible
  for teaching and implementing the Physics Studio courses (PHY2048 Studio and PHY2049
  Studio) at the FSU Physics Department.

  The team will also coordinate with the Technology Enhanced Classroom Support (TECS) for the
  installation of the software needed for the Airlinks and the installation of the USB Bluetooth
  Adapters in the computers located in MCH 303, MCH 315 and HCB 308.

  Budget and Budget justification:
                                                                                    Unit
   Item No.                       Description                      Quantity        Price       Total
PS-3200             Airlink                                           150             59          8850
PS-3500             USB Bluetooth Adapter                             75              12          900
ME-1240             Smart Cart Red                                    14             159          2226
ME-1241             Smart Cart Blue                                   14             159          2226
PS-3501             10 Port USB Charging Station                      15              60          900
TD-8595             Absolute Zero Sphere                              28             220          6160
TD-8596A            Ideal Gas Apparatus                               28              95          2660
PS-2146             PAS Absolute Pressure/Temperature Sensor          28             165          4620
                    Shipping                                                                       499
                                                                                 TOTAL          $29,321

  The need to change into the new wireless communication system for the PASCO laboratory
  setup is imperative as the wired GLX and SPARKS interfaces will no longer be supported and
  produced after 2017. The new wireless system will provide more ease in a classroom with 27
  student groups, each running a set of laboratory equipment.

There are at most 27 students groups in PHY2048 Studio, each requiring a set of laboratory
equipment (plus 1 set for spare) hence a total of 28 units of any particular equipment. There are
24 student groups in PHY2049 Studio (plus 1 set for spare) hence a total of 25 units for any
equipment needed.

For the Airlinks, each student group needs 2 Airlinks to link at least 2 measuring devices during
actual experiments. Each classroom where Studio classes are held should be equipped with 2
Airlinks and the distribution is as follows:

MCH 303: 22 student groups x 2 Airlinks per group = 44 Airlinks
MCH 315: 28 student groups x 2 Airlinks per group = 56 Airlinks
HCB 308: 25 student groups x 2 Airlinks per group = 50 Airlinks
                 Total No. of Airlinks Needed:     150 Airlinks

Each computer in the classrooms used by Studio classes must be equipped with a USB Bluetooth
Adapter to provide the wireless communication link between the computer and each measuring
device which is connected to an Airlink.

MCH 303: 21 computers
MCH 315: 27 computers
HCB 308: 24 computers
   Total: 72 computers + 3 spares = 75 USB Bluetooth Adapters needed

The charging stations are needed to charge the Airlinks prior to being used in the classroom.
Each charging station can accommodate 10 units for charging, hence 15 of these is sufficient to
charge at least 150 Airlinks.

The 28 smart carts are needed in tandem with the wireless linked magnetic field sensor to
investigate the dependence of the magnetic field strength on distance.

The request for equipment for Ideal Gas Law experiments will introduce more Thermodynamic
laboratory activities for 2048 Studio and will greatly enhance the coverage of topics on pressure,
heat, temperature and the gas laws. The 28 units of the Absolute Zero Sphere, Ideal Gas Laws
and Absolute Pressure/Temperature Sensor are needed to provide equipment for 27 student
groups (plus 1 spare).

The accompanying quote lists the items needed to implement this upgrade.