Engineering Instructor Dr. Ershela Sims receives 2012 Vernier NSTA Technology Award

Congratulations to Dr. Ershela Sims, Engineering and Ms. Jackie Bondell, Physics for receiving the 2012 Vernier NSTA Technology Award.  The Vernier NSTA Technology Awards promote the innovative use of data-collection technology using a computer, graphing calculator, or other handheld in the science classroom. They are receiving this award for their development of two collaborative projects between the Applied Science and Physics programs using Vernier technology. One of the highlighted projects was jointly completed by students in two classes, Physics and Robotics.  Together the students modeled the kinematics and dynamic associated with human gait to use in designing a walking robot.  The students used various data collection technologies for developing this model, including force plates, Sonic Rangers, and video analysis in Logger Pro. The other project was a joint venture between students in Mechanical Engineering and Physics. This project was designed to teach and solidify the concepts of kinematics and energy, as well as Hooke’s Law.  During this project, students from each class worked together in teams to design and build a mousetrap car, with an accelerometer, which could travel up a ramp and land upright on a set target. Using Vernier dual-range force sensors and Logger Pro, students created a force profile for the spring on the mousetrap.  Once the cars were completed, students used Vernier motion detectors to calibrate the accelerometers and to collect position, velocity and acceleration data in order to create energy profiles for the car.