Motion Detector

The Motion Detector Interactive is an in-the-browser motion detector. It must be used with a print-out of an ArUco marker. Students can walk in a variety of ways and their motion is represented on a position-time and/or a velocity-time graph in real time. Students can easily reset the graph and repeat a trial and attempt a different motion type to explore how the features of the two graphs are associated with the type of motion by which they move.

There are two general ways that Motion Detector can be used.

• Print the provided ArUco marker(s). Tape it to a vertical surface. Visit the Interactive page on your phone or tablet. Calibrate the detector. Point your phone at the marker. Tap Go and walk. The phone or tablet detects the marker and determines your position as you walk.
• Print the provided ArUco marker(s). Tape it to a flat board. Visit the Interactive page on your computer. Calibrate the detector by holding board (with marker facing computer) a distance of 1 meter from your computer. Hold the board vertically and face the marker towards the computer. Tap Go and walk. The computer detects the marker and determines your position as you walk.

Visit Marker page.
 

Launch Interactive

Users are encouraged to open the Interactive and explore. While having an available Motion Detector Lab would provide some useful guidance, being guided by these specific questions would be sufficient:

1. What does a position-time graph look like for an object at rest?
2. How is a position-time graph for an object moving in the positive direction (away from the marker) distinguished from the graph for an object moving in the negative direction (toward the marker)?
3. How is a position-time graph for an object moving fast distinguished from the graph for an object moving slow?
4. How is a position-time graph for an object moving at constant speed distinguished from the graph for an object moving with a changing speed?
5. How is a position-time graph for an object that is speeding up distinguished from the graph for an object that is slowing down? 
6. What does a velocity-time graph look like for an object at rest?
7. How is a velocity-time graph for an object moving in the positive direction (away from the marker) distinguished from the graph for an object moving in the negative direction (toward the marker)?
8. How is a velocity-time graph for an object moving fast distinguished from the graph for an object moving slow?
9. How is a velocity-time graph for an object moving at constant speed distinguished from the graph for an object moving with a changing speed?
10. How is a velocity-time graph for an object that is speeding up distinguished from the graph for an object that is slowing down? 

Learners and Instructors may also be interested in viewing the accompanying Notes page. Technical information, teaching suggestions, and related resources that complement this Interactive are provided on the Notes page. View Notes.