On the Use Of Microcontrollers for Data Acquisition in an Introductory Measurments Course

A microcontroller-based, miniature data acquisition system was developed for use in a sophomore-level Introduction to Measurement course. This board demonstrates that principles of proper data acquisition are applicable not only in the laboratory, but also in 'real-world' applications where traditional data-acquisition systems are not easily implemented. Two experiments made use of the board's capability -- one to determine the altitude achieved by a model rocket and one to measure the surface temperature distribution of a lake. A custom-made rocket carried the required electronics, including an accelerometer to measure the rocket's acceleration and a pressure transducer to measure the rockets velocity. A custom-made electric-powered boat carried a thermocouple to measure the water temperature and a Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine the boat's location. The details of the electronic board, rocket, and boat design, along with the results of the experiments carried out by the students, will be presented.