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Scott,

 

You may be able to develop an exhibit using a strobe flash and simple camera with a long exposure connected to a TV monitor.

 

Have a look at this image of mine for instance.

 

http://www.pbase.com/barry_2718/image/92643503



Kind Regards Barry Moore, Operations Manager Wollongong Science centre and Planetarium, Australia

Email [log in to unmask] (Personal and Toastmasters); [log in to unmask] (Professional)
Photo galleries at http://www.pbase.com/barry_2718
My Quote: "A photograph is no substitute for the experience but memories fade and digital photographs don't"



 
> Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:33:28 +1000
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Bouncing ball exhibit
> To: [log in to unmask]
> 
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
> 
> Scott,
> 
> might not be what you are looking to achieve, however
> 
> like Galileo I'd suggest you could run the experiment on an inclined plane.
> have the ball on a track ( pair of rails etc), with the ball captive between the rails.
> Have a finger slot to allow them to push it up hill, and release.
> 
> having it on the slope slows it all down, so your sensor system has a bit more 
> precision ( ultrasonics are good, bit can be a little slow - sound only goes so fast).
> 
> It also means the ball is held in a very defined path so your sensors don't have to deal with the ball following different
> paths on each bounce.
> 
> I;ve seen and used a range of sensors. video capture could work with a bright coloured ball as target, but 
> with simple cameras you're limited to 25/30 fps, ( so in a 0.5 meter drop you'd get around 8-10 samples) so you might need to run it on a ramp to slow it down and get enough points.
> 
> parallax ping ultrasonic sensors are faster and you might get 50 to 100 samples a second.
> there are some good cheap optical range sensors that would work at about 100 plus samples a second, but not on a steel ball.
> 
> and you could run a set of photo gates.
> 
> if you used a steel ball ( and steel plate to bounce it off), you could use and electromagnet ( either fixed or slidable along the track) and use the 
> release of the electromagnet to sync/start the data capture.
> 
> 
> Just some thoughts.
> 
> Stuart Kohlhagen
> Director Research and Development
> Questacon
> The National Science and Technology Centre
> Canberra
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
> 
> We are considering developing an exhibit activity where visitors bounce
> balls and see the bouncing motion graphed in real time. The goal of the
> activity would be for the visitors to use the mathematical
> representation of the motion to compare how different types of balls
> bounce.
> 
> Has anyone developed or seen an exhibit related to this? We are
> especially interested in how others have dealt with the issue of loose
> versus contained balls. Loose balls are a nightmare but a mechanical
> reset option might be equally as challenging.
> 
> Thanks for your help!
> 
> Scott
> 
> 
> Scott Pattison
> Senior Exhibit Developer
> Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
> 1945 SE Water Ave
> Portland, OR 97217
> 503.797.4673
> [log in to unmask]
> www.omsi.edu
> 
> 
> 
> Crack the Case - CSI: The Experience now on exhibit May 23-Sept. 15
> 
> 
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