Thread: Re: Seismac questions

Started: 2008-07-02 03:51:44
Last activity: 2008-07-02 16:01:26
Topics: IRIS EPO
Michael Breed
2008-07-02 03:51:44
It would be interesting to see if anyone with some programming knowledge
could put together a seismac version for the iPhone or iPod Touch, both
of which have built-in accelerometers. They will form the basis for
many hand-held games in the new app store opening on July 11. The
beauty of using the handhelds is the portability the offer.

Michael Breed

Michael Breed
Chenango Valley High School Science Dept.
1160 Chenango Street
Binghamton, NY 13901
(607) 779-4743 x4248
Michael Hubenthal <Michael.Hubenthal<at>iris.edu> 07/01/08 10:11 AM >>>
Hi Katie,

Sorry that this reply is late. I have used SeisMac in numerous
Teacher professional developments with success. To give you a flavor
for how I have used it, I have sketched out two activities which can
be found under lessons and resources from the IRIS E&O webpage http://
www.iris.edu/hq/audience/educators. The first activity is designed
to help students make a connection between the display and
seismograms. In the second activity students explore how hard the
ground shakes during an earthquake. The tool is especially
powerful when combined with these animations http://www.iris.edu/hq/
programs/education_and_outreach/aotm/9 .

PS> For those that don't have a powerbook handy, keep in mind that
your physics department is likely to have accelerometers as part of
their probeware packages. These are equally as useful for conveying
the concepts.

If anyone has any questions or suggestions for the activities please
be sure to contact me as I would be quite keen to hear from you.

Best Wishes,
Michael





---------------------------------
Michael Hubenthal
Education Specialist
IRIS Consortium
607-777-4612
www.IRIS.edu
hubenth<at>iris.edu




On Jun 19, 2008, at 1:42 PM, Katie Stofer wrote:

Hi – I’m trying to convince a colleague to loan her Powerbook for a
SeisMac demo (mine’s circa 2003). She’s curious to hear any
feedback users have – has it been a big success, have you had any
problems, etc.?



------

Kathryn Stofer

TerraLink Exhibit Manager

Maryland Science Center

601 Light Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21230

p 410.545.5976

f 410.545.5974

http://www.marylandsciencecenter.org

Join us for BODYWORLDS 2, now through September 1!



_______________________________________________
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  • Michael Hubenthal
    2008-07-02 16:01:26
    Hi Mike,

    I pinged Dan Griscom, the author of SeisMac, to see if he had thought
    about this. Please see his reply below.

    Hi Dan,

    This was posted on the IRIS Seismographs in Schools list. Looks
    like inquiring minds want to know if you have you tinkered around
    in the iPhones yet?


    Oh, I've certainly thought about it. My biggest concern would be the
    sample rate, or limitations thereof. There is already a very simple
    seismograph program out there, written for jailbroken iPhones (i.e.
    it's an application that is installed in a non-Apple-approved way).
    It uses backdoor methods to get at the accelerometer, and can do
    approximately 40 samples per second if you turn on the "Priority
    Boost" setting.

    See http://www.robota.nl/products/iPhone%20AcceleroLog.html.

    But! this doesn't use Apple's API, and almost certainly wouldn't past
    muster for distribution via Apple's channels. Apple's API doesn't
    (seem to) lend itself to software demanding value after value (as
    SeisMac does and this app probably does). Your app registers as a
    listener and then the system sends you an acceleration event when it
    feels like it. The rate would be fast enough for acceleration control
    of apps, so it would be at least, say, 10Hz, but I'm guessing it
    wouldn't be much more than that.

    Add that concern to my perpetual lack of time, plus my lack of need
    for a new cellphone (although the iPod Touch also has an
    accelerometer) and I've not gone further into the issue.


    Thanks,
    Dan

    --
    Daniel T. Griscom griscom<at>suitable.com
    Suitable Systems http://www.suitable.com/
    1 Centre Street, Suite 204 (781) 665-0053
    Wakefield, MA 01880-2400

    ---------------------------------
    Michael Hubenthal
    Education Specialist
    IRIS Consortium
    607-777-4612
    www.IRIS.edu
    hubenth<at>iris.edu




    On Jul 1, 2008, at 8:51 PM, Michael Breed wrote:

    It would be interesting to see if anyone with some programming
    knowledge
    could put together a seismac version for the iPhone or iPod Touch,
    both
    of which have built-in accelerometers. They will form the basis for
    many hand-held games in the new app store opening on July 11. The
    beauty of using the handhelds is the portability the offer.

    Michael Breed

    Michael Breed
    Chenango Valley High School Science Dept.
    1160 Chenango Street
    Binghamton, NY 13901
    (607) 779-4743 x4248
    Michael Hubenthal <Michael.Hubenthal<at>iris.edu> 07/01/08 10:11 AM

    Hi Katie,

    Sorry that this reply is late. I have used SeisMac in numerous
    Teacher professional developments with success. To give you a flavor
    for how I have used it, I have sketched out two activities which can
    be found under lessons and resources from the IRIS E&O webpage http://
    www.iris.edu/hq/audience/educators. The first activity is designed
    to help students make a connection between the display and
    seismograms. In the second activity students explore how hard the
    ground shakes during an earthquake. The tool is especially
    powerful when combined with these animations http://www.iris.edu/hq/
    programs/education_and_outreach/aotm/9 .

    PS> For those that don't have a powerbook handy, keep in mind that
    your physics department is likely to have accelerometers as part of
    their probeware packages. These are equally as useful for conveying
    the concepts.

    If anyone has any questions or suggestions for the activities please
    be sure to contact me as I would be quite keen to hear from you.

    Best Wishes,
    Michael





    ---------------------------------
    Michael Hubenthal
    Education Specialist
    IRIS Consortium
    607-777-4612
    www.IRIS.edu
    hubenth<at>iris.edu




    On Jun 19, 2008, at 1:42 PM, Katie Stofer wrote:

    Hi – I’m trying to convince a colleague to loan her Powerbook for a
    SeisMac demo (mine’s circa 2003). She’s curious to hear any
    feedback users have – has it been a big success, have you had any
    problems, etc.?



    ------

    Kathryn Stofer

    TerraLink Exhibit Manager

    Maryland Science Center

    601 Light Street

    Baltimore, Maryland 21230

    p 410.545.5976

    f 410.545.5974

    http://www.marylandsciencecenter.org

    Join us for BODYWORLDS 2, now through September 1!



    _______________________________________________
    irised mailing list
    irised<at>iris.washington.edu
    http://www.iris.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/irised


    _______________________________________________
    irised mailing list
    irised<at>iris.washington.edu
    http://www.iris.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/irised




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