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CameraScope
A Digital Visualization tool for Science and MathematicsClassrooms
Bill FersterThe University of Virginia
Why Visualization?
To help see events that are too small
Why Visualization?
To see events that are too fast or slow
A Tipping-Point
• Low cost of digital camera and webcams
• More digital cameras are sold than film cameras
• Even Kodak is giving up on film cameras!
Student’s Understanding
Role shift from passive observer to active participant
Intel QX3 Microscope
Popular, with lots of curricular activities developed
• Cheap (under $100)• Easy to use• Had time-lapse movies capability
Intel QX3 Microscope
It had shortcomings, though...
• Poor image quality• Toy-like software• Discontinued by Intel after the “Dot-Bomb”
Why Make CameraScope?
Support of Multiple Imaging Sources
• Web-Cams, QX3, Digital Cameras • High quality images• New devices on the market constantly • Consistent “look and feel” to standardize curriculum on• Uses Microsoft’s DirectShow devices
Why Make CameraScope?
Designed Expressly for Education
• Easy to use• Features tied into curriculum• Lesson plans expressly designed for it• Offered at no charge to schools
Why Make CameraScope?
An optimistic future
• Can’t be capriciously discontinued• Open source• Open architecture for new features• Supports commonplace tools
CameraScope
First tool from Thinking Spaces Tools Initiative
• Capture• Measure• Analyze
Capture
CameraScope Image Sources
• High quality from digital cameras• QX3 Microscope• Digital Microscopes• Digital Telescopes• Web-Cams
Capture Stills
CameraScope Still Images
• Multiple resolutions• Stored as JPEG Files
Capture Time-Lapse
CameraScope Time-lapse movies
•Speeds up slow events •1/4 second to 10 days per frame
CameraScope Capture
Viewing screen
Image Gallery
Capture button
Controls
Capture Real-Time
CameraScope Real-Time Movies
• Slows down fast events • View the Motion frame-by-frame
Measure
CameraScope Measurement Tools
• Measure on screen objects• Get position, size and rotation• Move through movies frame by frame
• Calibrate to real world dimensions• Easy to use, but accurate
CameraScope Measure
Reset Origin
Scroll thru Movie
See Coords
Calibrate
Analyze
CameraScope Analysis Tools
• Saves data to spreadsheet • Calls Microsoft Excel directly for:
• Graphing• Trend-line analysis• High-level manipulation
Excel Spreadsheet
Time (in ms.)
X Position
Y Position
Scale
Rotatation
Graph
Trend Line
A Physical Science Example
Measuring the speed of gravity
• Helps students understand velocity in Physics • Record the dropping of a ball• Calibrate the image to meter stick in scene• Track motion of ball frame-by-frame into Excel file• Graph Velocity curve in Excel• Use trend-line analysis to figure out gravity constant
A Physical Science Example
A Physical Science Example
Future Tools
• Image processing add-ons for CameraScope
• Tablet PC Software
• Digital Story-Telling tools
Thinking Spaces
• Research into digital images in content area curricula
• Emerged from National Technology Leadership Summit
• CameraScope developed by University of Virginia
• All tools placed in a “Creative Commons”
StatusCurrently in in beta
Available at no charge.
Website: www.teacherlink.org/tools
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