Real-time camera experiments with phyphox

Physics Education, vol. 61, pp. 035049

Abstract

Abstract Smartphone-based experimentation tends to split into real-time sensor-based approaches and post hoc analysis of camera recordings. We present a novel approach to use the phone’s camera in real-time experiments using the open source app phyphox. For this, users can select an area of the camera image and choose to determine one or multiple of meaningful aggregated properties as luma, relative luminance and the coordinates of the HSV colour model (hue, saturation and value) for this area. With frame rates of up to 240 Hz, many periodic processes can be captured just by pointing the camera at the experiment. The physical properties derived from the camera data are integrated into the flexible analysis system in phyphox allowing for customizable data analysis for a wide range of new experiments. Examples include but are not limited to measurements at (large) distances, enhancing existing experiments with modern data analysis and various applications for precise timing measurements.

Authors 6

1. Sebastian Staacks corresponding Aachen Institute of Physics I and II

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics I and II, RWTH Aachen University

2. Gaurav Tripathee corresponding Aachen Institute of Physics I and II

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics I and II, RWTH Aachen University

3. Lena Crump corresponding Aachen Institute of Physics I and II

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics I and II, RWTH Aachen University

4. Dominik Dorsel corresponding Aachen Institute of Physics I and II

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics I and II, RWTH Aachen University

5. H. Heinke corresponding Aachen Institute of Physics I and II

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics I and II, RWTH Aachen University

6. Christoph Stampfer corresponding Aachen Institute of Physics I and II

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics I and II, RWTH Aachen University