DATA LOGGER

Data logger is an electronic device that records data over time or in relation to location either
with a built in instrument or sensor or via external instruments and sensors. Increasingly, but not
entirely, they are based on a digital processor (or computer).
They generally are small, battery powered, portable, and equipped with a microprocessor,
internal memory for data storage, and sensors. Some data loggers interface with a personal
computer, and use software to activate the data logger and view and analyze the collected data,
while others have a local interface device (keypad, LCD) and can be used as a stand-alone
device.
One of the primary benefits of using data loggers is the ability to automatically collect data on a
24-hour basis. Upon activation, data loggers are typically deployed and left unattended to
measure and record information for the duration of the monitoring period. This allows for a
comprehensive, accurate picture of the environmental conditions being monitored, such as air
temperature and relative humidity.
Data loggers measurements can include: air temperature, relative humidity, AC/DC current and
voltage, differential pressure, time-of-use (lights, motors, etc.), light intensity, water temperature,
water level, dissolved oxygen, soil moisture, rainfall, wind speed and direction, leaf wetness,
pulse signals, room occupancy, plug load, and many more.
Data logging is commonly used in scientific experiments and in monitoring systems where there
is the need to collect information faster than a human can possibly collect the information and in
cases where accuracy is essential.

EXPERIMENT
SOUND SENSOR
INTRODUCTION
Sound is a vibration that propagates as a typically audible mechanical
wave of pressure and displacement, through a medium such as air,water and solids as
longitudinal waves and also as a transverse wave in solids.
The behavior of sound propagation is generally affected by three things:

A complex relationship between the density and pressure of the medium. This

relationship, affected by temperature, determines the speed of sound within the medium.
Motion of the medium itself. If the medium is moving, this movement may increase or
decrease the absolute speed of the sound wave depending on the direction of the
movement. For example, sound moving through wind will have its speed of propagation
increased by the speed of the wind if the sound and wind are moving in the same
direction. If the sound and wind are moving in opposite directions, the speed of the sound

wave will be decreased by the speed of the wind.

The viscosity of the medium. Medium viscosity determines the rate at which sound is
attenuated. For many media, such as air or water, attenuation due to viscosity is
negligible.

When sound is travel through an opaque medium, the sound will be refracted. The sound
waves are generated by a sound source such as the vibrating of the speaker.

OBJECTIVE
To use the sound sensor to investigate the acoustic properties of various materials.

ENGAGE

Which one can be heard clearer?

B can be heard clearer because there is no obstacles between the two person. The sound vibration
can travel through air without encountering a different medium.
Does the same sound can be heard as B if you open the door in A?
Yes. Before the door was opened, the door act as a barrier for the sound to travel from one person
to another. As the door was opened, the sound can be heard clearly by another person without a
disturbance.

EMPOWER
Planning and doing your experiment.
1. Setup: Build a 'room' to house a sound source. Place a sound sensor a fixed distance
away from the sound source.
2. Procedure:
i)
Place the datalogger approximately 1 meter away from a sound source as
shown in figure 1. Your sound source could be a speaker from a computer, a bell
or any other device that creates a constant sound volume. It is important that this
sound produces a similar sound each and every time, to ensure consistency of our
experiment.

ii)
iii)

FIGURE 1
Start generating sounds and observe the graph of the sound level generated.
This is what is commonly called the base line, or control experiment, as it
indicates what range of values we expect to see with no additional constraints.

iv)

The following graph in figure 2 show a sample of data collected as a control

experiment with the hospital beeper as the sound source.

FIGURE 2
v)

Now place your room around the sound source as in figure 3 and run the
experiment again.
Be careful not to change the distance between the NXT and the sound

vi)

source. Feel free to experiment with the design.

Compare your new set of data with your original results.

FIGURE 3

Result:

FIGURE 2
By overlaying the second set of data with our original control graph, we can see that the
acoustic room we constructed reduces the volume measured by the Sound Sensor.
DISCUSSION
1)
2)
3)
4)

Does the thickness of the material make a difference?

What can you observed from the graph?
What happen if the distance between the NXT and the sound source is changed?
Give example of sensor in engineering system that are similar to data logger sound
sensor?

ENHANCE

Discuss the importance of sound sensor in our daily life.

1) Used in measurement and as detectors in such applications as industrial, medical,
robotics, and identification and tracking.
2) Industrial sensor- Ultrasonic sensors are used to detect the existence of objects (digital)
and distance (analog) in factory automation and processing.
3) Medical sensor- Our most familiar experience of medical ultrasound sensors is during
pregnancy.
4) Identification and tracking- Ultrasound ID (USID) is a real-time locating system
technology used to automatically track and identify the location of objects in real-time
using simple, inexpensive nodes attached to or embedded into objects and devices
that transmit an ultrasound signal to communicate location to microphone sensors.
5) Robotic sensor- Ultrasound is reliable in any lighting condition. It can be used indoors
or out. It is fast enough to take care of collision avoidance for a robot, but not fast enough
to track a flying object like a ball. It can handle being moved or shaken, as long as the
motion is not very fast. It is so flexible that it can be reliably positioned on a rolling or
walking robot, or placed on a moving articulated sensor pod.
EXTENSION
Run the experiment again, but this time, try some of the following materials

Packing foam

Sponge foam

Cloth

Wood

Paper

UNIQUE FEATURES

Repetition of activity can also be carried out due to the quick completion for each

type of the surface used in this experiment

We can observed that an obstacles makes the sound vibration we heard decreased

REFFERENCES
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_logger
https://www.pasco.com/prodCatalog/CI/CI-6506_sound-sensor/
http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-540-34194-9_12