January 2005–December 2006
Curious students are often excited to tie theoretical knowledge acquired in the classroom to real measurements in everyday life. Taking sensitive measurements outside of traditional research settings requires sophisticated, yet low-cost, miniature sensors and software environments to support them. The iDAT project, which was designed with the hope of developing 50 such wireless sensors, eventually acquired over 100 wireless sensors for use in student projects.
Beyond the development of sensors for student measurements, the iDAT project augmented the free-form measurements that the wireless sensors allowed, with structured experiments designed to reveal specific physical principles and laws. To ensure additional student control over variables, sophisticated output devices were added. The second phase of the project culminated in the dissemination of the sensors to other institutions for evaluation. Eventually, these types of sensors will provide low-cost instrumentation for student projects at schools around the world.
Investigators: Prof. Ian Hunter, Director of MIT BioInstrumentation Laboratory, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; Dr. Barbara Hughey, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering