Vernier LabQuest 2 User Manual
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USER MANUAL
v.1.2
LabQuest 2 User Manual
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SAFETY INFORMATION
Federal Communication Commission Interference Statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions,
may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment
off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver
is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
FCC Caution
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference and
(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation
RF Exposure Warning
The equipment complies with RF exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. The
antenna(s) used for this transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any
other antenna or transmitter.
You are cautioned that changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible
for compliance could void your authority to operate the equipment.
IC Statement
This device complies with Industry Canada license-exempt RSS standard(s). Operation is subject
to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device
must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the
device.
Industry Canada - Class B This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio
noise emissions from digital apparatus as set out in the interference-causing equipment standard
entitled “Digital Apparatus,” ICES-003 of Industry Canada. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device. To reduce
potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that
the equivalent isotropically radiated power (e.i.r.p.) is not more than that permitted for successful
communication.
LabQuest 2 User Manual
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RF exposure warning: The equipment complies with RF exposure limits set forth for an
uncontrolled environment. The antenna(s) used for this transmitter must not be co-located or
operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.
Le présent appareil est conforme aux CNR d’Industrie Canada applicables aux appareils radio
exempts de licence. L’exploitation est autorisée aux deux conditions suivantes : (1) l’appareil ne
doit pas produire de brouillage, et (2) l’appareil doit accepter tout interférence radioélectrique,
même si cela résulte à un brouillage susceptible d’en compromettre le fonctionnement.
Cet appareil numérique respecte les limites de bruits radioélectriques applicables aux appareils
numériques de Classe B prescrites dans la norme sur le matériel interférant-brouilleur:
“Appareils Numériques,” NMB-003 édictée par industrie Canada. L’utilisation est soumise aux
deux conditions suivantes: (1) cet appareil ne peut causer d’interférences, et (2) cet appareil doit
accepter toutes interférences, y comprises celles susceptibles de provoquer un disfonctionnement
du dispositif. Afin de réduire les interférences radio potentielles pour les autres utilisateurs, le
type d’antenne et son gain doivent être choisie de telle façon que l’équivalent de puissance
isotrope émis (e.i.r.p) n’est pas plus grand que celui permis pour une communication établie.
Avertissement d’exposition RF: L’équipement est conforme aux limites d’exposition aux RF
établies pour un environnement non supervisé. L’antenne (s) utilisée pour ce transmetteur ne
doit pas être jumelés ou fonctionner en conjonction avec toute autre antenne ou transmetteur.
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
LabQuest 2, released in March 2012, ships with a Quick-Start Guide
with basic data collection and analysis. The LabQuest 2 User Manual is an ex tended guide
detailing the features, hardware, and software of LabQuest 2.
to get you up and running
LabQuest 2 User Manual
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CONTENTS
I. GETTING STARTED WITH LABQUEST 2 ..........................................................................................1
What’s Included ................................................................................................................. 1
Using LabQuest for the First Time .................................................................................... 1
Quick Start to Data Collection ........................................................................................... 2
II. LABQUEST 2 HARDWARE ..................................................................................................................4
Power Button ...................................................................................................................... 4
Touch Screen ...................................................................................................................... 5
Hardware Keys ................................................................................................................... 5
Sensor Ports ........................................................................................................................ 5
Internal Sensors .................................................................................................................. 7
III. LABQUEST APP ...................................................................................................................................9
Navigating LabQu est App .................................................................................................. 9
File Menu ......................................................................................................................... 10
Data Collection ................................................................................................................. 12
Data Analysis ................................................................................................................... 18
Viewing Vernier Lab Instructions .................................................................................... 25
Adding Notes to Your Experiment ................................................................................... 26
Storing LabQuest App Files ............................................................................................. 26
Exporting LabQuest App files.......................................................................................... 27
IV. USING LABQUEST 2 WITH A MOBILE DEVICE ............................................................................. 28
How Data Sharing Works ................................................................................................ 28
Set Up Data Sharing on LabQuest ................................................................................... 28
Connect Your Mobile Device to LabQuest ...................................................................... 34
V. USING LABQUEST WITH A COMPUTER ........................................................................................ 35
Collecting Data with Logger Lite or Logger Pro ............................................................. 35
Transferring Data from LabQuest to a Computer ............................................................ 35
VI. EMAILING FROM LABQUEST .......................................................................................................... 37
VII. PRINTING FROM LABQUEST .......................................................................................................... 38
VIII. PROJECTING AND MONITORING STUDENTS’ LABQUEST DEVICES ........................................ 40
IX. ADDITIONAL APPS ON LABQUEST................................................................................................ 42
Audio Function Generator ................................................................................................ 42
Periodic Table .................................................................................................................. 42
Power Amplifier ............................................................................................................... 43
Calculator ......................................................................................................................... 43
Sound Recorder ................................................................................................................ 43
Stopwatch ......................................................................................................................... 43
APPENDIX A. LABQUEST 2 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
APPENDIX B. LABQUEST MAINTENANCE
APPENDIX C. LABQUEST KEYBOARD
APPENDIX D. LICENSE INFORMATION
APPENDIX E. WARRANTY
APPENDIX F. ACCESSORIES, REPLACEMENT PARTS, AND REL ATED PRODUCTS
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I. GETTING S TARTED WITH LABQUEST 2
What’s Included
• LabQuest 2 interface
• Rechargeable battery (in unit)
• AC power adapter
• Computer connection (USB) cable
• Quick-Start guide
• Stylus (in unit)
• Stylus tether
Using LabQuest for the First Time
Install the Battery
LabQuest ships with the batt ery in place; however, there is protective sticker covering the battery
contacts that needs to be removed before the first use:
• Turn LabQuest over and open the battery door by sliding the door lock and lifting the
battery cover.
• Remove the battery and remove the small protective sticker covering the battery contacts.
• Reinstall the battery with the label side up, ensuring the battery contacts align with the
LabQuest contacts.
• Replace the battery door.
LabQuest with battery door removed
Charge Overnight
We recommend charging the battery for at least 12 hours prior to using LabQuest for the first
time on battery power. To do this, connect the included power adapter to LabQuest and an AC
power source. You can also charge LabQuest using the
code LQ2-CRG, sold separately).
LabQuest 2 Charging Station
(order
Getting Started with LabQuest 2
2
LabQuest uses a high-quality lithium-ion battery. This is the same chemistry used in premium
laptop and cell phone batteries, and you can expect similar performance. There is never a need to
condition the battery by regular full discharge/charge cycles.
It is safe to leave the battery charging indefinitely, and there is no need to fully discharge the
battery before charging. Battery life will depend on the sensors used, but in most cases you can
obtain six or more hours of use before recharging. We recommend charging LabQuest overnight
to start the next day with a full charge. For more details about the battery, see
LabQuest Battery.
Quick Start to Data Collection
Follow these steps to get up and running quickly with basic data collection. For more detailed
instructions, see
1. Press and release the power button located on the
top edge of LabQuest to turn on the unit.
LabQuest App launches automatically.
2. Connect an analog sensor to the CH 1 port on
LabQuest or connect a digital sensor to the DIG 1
port. LabQuest App will auto-ID the connected
sensor and automatically set the default collection
rate for the sensor.
Data Collection.
Note: If your sensor is an older-style (DIN) sensor
requiring an adapter, the sensor will not auto-ID.
Instead, you will need to set up the sensor manually.
To do this, choose Sensor Setup from the Sensors
menu. Select the field labeled “No Sensor” adjacent to the appropriate port and choose your
sensor from the list.
3. Next, tap Collect
. Data collection begins and
LabQuest graphs the data in real time.
You can stop collection early by tapping Stop
.
Once data collection is complete, the graph
autoscales to the data.
Getting Started with LabQuest 2
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4. Tap the graph to examine a point of interest. The
coordinates of the point are shown in the panel to
the right of the graph. Tap another point or tap the
Examine buttons to move the cursor left and
right
.
5. To select a region of data for analysis, tap-and-drag across the graph to highlight the desired
region. Note: To analyze all data, you do not need to select a region.
Statistics
To view statistics for the selected data on the Graph
screen, choose Statistics from the Analyze menu.
Select the check box to select a data set. The
statistics information is then displayed in the panel
to the right of the graph.
To remove the displayed statistics, tap Analyze on
the Graph screen, choose Statistics, and then select
the checked box to clear the selection.
Curve Fit
To fit a curve to the selected data on the Graph
screen, choose Curve Fit from the Analyze menu.
Select the check box to select a data set. Tap Choose
Fit and choose the desired fit equation. LabQuest
automatically determines and displays the fit
coefficients, and displays a preview of the curve fit
on the graph. Tap OK to apply the fit and return to
the Graph screen.
To remove the fit, choose Curve Fit from the Analyze Menu, and then select the checked box
to clear the selection.
Note: The Curve Fit coefficients cannot be manually adjusted. To enter your own
parameters, see the
Model
tool within Data Analysis.
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II. LABQUEST 2 HARDWARE
Once LabQuest is connected to AC power or the battery has been charged, press the power
button located on the top of the unit, near the left edge. LabQuest will complete its booting
procedure and automatically launch the LabQuest App by default, as shown above. If the screen
does not light after a moment when used on battery power, connect the power adapter to
LabQuest and to an AC power source, then try the power button again.
Power Button
• Power on – If the screen is off for any reason (LabQuest is off, asleep, or the screen has
turned off to conserve battery power), press and release the power button to turn
LabQuest back on. If LabQuest was off, LabQuest will also complete its booting
procedure that takes about a minute and then display LabQuest App.
•
Sleep/wake – When LabQuest is on, press and release the power button once to put
LabQuest into a sleep mode. Note that the sleep mode does not start until you release the
power button. In this mode, LabQuest uses less power but the battery can still drain. This
mode is useful if you are going to return to data collection again soon, in which case
waking LabQuest from sleep is quicker than restarting after shutdown. To wake
LabQuest from sleep, press and release the power button.
•
Shut down – To shut down LabQuest, hold the power button down for about five
seconds. LabQuest displays a message indicating it is shutting down. Release the power
button, and allow LabQuest to shut down. To cancel the shutdown procedure at this
point, tap Cancel. You can also shut down LabQuest from the Home screen
this, tap System and then tap Shut Down .
•
Emergency shutdown – If you hold the power button down for about eight seconds,
LabQuest powers off uncleanly. This is the same as pulling the battery out of the unit
while it is running. This is not recommended unless LabQuest is frozen, as you may lose
your data and potentially cause file system corruption.
. To do
LabQuest 2 Hardware
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Touch Screen
LabQuest has an LED backlit resistive touch screen that quickly responds to pressure exerted on
the screen. LabQuest is controlled primarily by touching the screen. The software is designed to
be finger-friendly. In some situations, you may desire more control for precise navigation. In
such cases, we recommend using the included stylus.
If you are having trouble viewing the color screen or are using LabQuest outside in bright
sunlight, we recommend changing to the High Contrast mode. Tap Preferences on the Home
screen, then tap Light & Power. Select the check box for High Contrast
to enable this mode.
Hardware Keys
In addition to using the touch screen, the three hardware keys can also be used to control your
LabQuest.
•
Collect – Start and stop data collection within LabQuest App
• Home – Launch the Home screen
• Escape – Close most applications, menus, and exit dialog boxes without taking action
(i.e., cancel dialog boxes)
Sensor Ports
LabQuest has three analog sensor ports (CH 1, CH 2, and CH 3) for analog sensors such as our
pH Sensor, Temperature Probe, and Force Sensor. Also included is a full-size USB port for USB
sensors, USB flash drives, and USB printers. In addition to the power button, the top edge of
LabQuest has two digital sensor ports (DIG 1 and DIG 2) for Motion Detectors, Drop Counters,
and other digital sensors.
LabQuest 2 Hardware
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Audio ports are also located adjacent to the digital ports, as well as a microSD card slot for
expanding disk storage. On the side opposite of the analog ports, there is a stylus storage slot, an
AC power port for recharging the battery, and a mini USB port for connecting LabQuest to a
computer. In between these ports, there is a serial connection for charging the unit in a
LabQuest 2 Charging Station
(order code LQ2-CRG, sold separately) and a stylus tether
attachment point.
LabQuest 2 Hardware
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Internal Sensors
LabQuest also has several built-in sensors, including a
GPS, microphone, three-axis accelerometer,
temperature sensor, and relative light sensor.
To enable internal sensors within LabQuest App,
choose Sensor Setup from the Sensors menu. Within the
Sensor Setup dialog box, select a check box to enable
the associated sensor. Then tap OK to return to the
LabQuest App Meter screen.
•
GPS – The internal GPS collects latitude, longitude, and altitude readings, and may be
used with other sensors. You can choose units of decimal degrees, degree minutes, or
UTM. Note: It may take up to 15 minutes to acquire an initial signal outdoors. We do not
recommend using GPS indoors.
•
Accelerometers – The 3-axis accelerometer measures accelerations up to ±2 g in the x-,
y-, and z-axis directions. The sensor is located 72 mm from the docking connector and
32 mm from the digital port side of the plastic case.
•
Temperature – The internal temperature sensor
monitors ambient temperature. The sensor is
located between CH2 and CH3, in front of the
BTA connectors.
•
Light Sensor – The internal light sensor is located on the front of LabQuest, to the left of
the screen. This light sensor combines one exposed photodiode (CH0), which is
responsive to both visible and infrared light, and one filtered photodiode (CH1), which is
responsive primarily to infrared light. The CH1 reading is subtracted from the CH0
reading and then converted to a value in lux that represents illuminance (ambient light
level) to approximate the human eye response. The spectral response range for this sensor
is approximately 400–800 nm.
LabQuest 2 Hardware
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• Microphone – The internal Microphone is located on the front of LabQuest to the left of
the screen, as shown below, and measures waveforms. Note: This sensor cannot be used
with external sensors.
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III. LABQUEST APP
The data-collection and analysis software, LabQuest App, is the heart of LabQuest. When you
turn on LabQuest, the LabQuest App starts automatically. If the LabQuest App is not displayed
on your screen, launch LabQuest App
from the Home screen.
Navigating LabQue s t App
LabQuest App has five different screens. Tap on the desired tab to display the associated screen.
Meter screen – Set up sensors, set data-
collection parameters, and see a digital meter for
your connected sensors. For a detailed
description of how the Meter screen is used for
data collection, see
Graph screen – See a graph of your data and
perform analyses, including curve fits. For a
detailed description of how the Graph screen is
used for data analysis, see
Data Collection.
Data Analysis.
LabQuest App
LabQuest App
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Table screen – See a tabular representation of
your data, create calculated columns, and
manually enter data. For a detailed description
of how the Table screen is used for data
analysis, see
Screen.
Lab Instructions screen – Access one of over
100 preloaded experiments for paperless
instructions (more experiments are available
online). For detailed instructions on adding
additional experiments to LabQuest, see
Viewing Vernier Lab Instructions.
Notes screen – Record observations about your
experiment. For more information, see Adding
Notes to Your Experiment.
Manipulating Data from the Table
File Menu
A LabQuest App file can contain data-collection settings, graphs, data tables, analyses, and even
notes. These files have a .qmbl extension and can be saved to the internal storage space on
LabQuest or to an external storage space such as a USB flash drive or microSD card.
LabQuest App files can also be opened and manipulated on a computer with Logger Pro
software.
All five tabs within LabQuest App share the same File
menu, which is similar to the File menu on a computer.
From the File menu, you can perform a number of tasks
related to LabQuest App files, such as opening, saving,
and closing files, adjusting file settings, printing, and
more. These are described in more detail as follows.
•
New – Choose New from the File menu to reset
all data-collection parameters and sensor
calibrations back to default values. If you have
unsaved data, you will be prompted to either save or discard the data before continuing.
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• Open – Choose Open from the File menu to
display a list of files that you have saved on
LabQuest. To open a file, tap the file name, then
tap Open. To open a file from an external
storage source, tap the source icon (
USB,
SD) to display the files available on that
source, then tap on the file name, and tap Open.
•
Save – Choose Save from the File menu to
display the Save As dialog box where you can
tap on a source icon (
USB, SD, LabQuest) to select a destination, then tap in the
File name field to assign a name to the file.
•
Delete – Choose Delete from the File menu to display a file list similar to that accessible
by choosing open. Tap on a source icon ( USB, SD, LabQuest) to select the source
where the file is located, tap the desired file name, then tap Delete. You can delete only
one file at a time.
•
Email – Choose Email from the File menu to email the Data File, Graph, Text File, or
Screen Shot from the current file when LabQu es t i s connected to a wireless network with
Internet. For detailed instructions on setting up this feature, see Emailing from LabQuest.
• Export– Choose Export from the File menu to export the current data file in a text format
for use with other applications. Tap on a source icon (
USB, SD, LabQuest) to
select a destination, then tap OK to complete the export.
A typical use of this feature is to export a text file to an SD card or a USB flash drive for
further data manipulation on a computer with a spreadsheet program. The exported file
contains all column values from all runs in the current session, delimited by tabs. For
more detailed instructions on using this feature, see
Storing LabQuest App Files.
• Print – Choose Print from the File menu to print the Graph, Table, Lab Instructions,
Notes, or Screen from the current file to a USB or Wi-Fi-enabled printer. For detailed
instructions, see
Printing from LabQuest.
•
Settings – Choose Settings from the File menu to adjust file settings for the current
session. These settings are specific to and saved within the LabQuest file. These settings
return to the default upon choosing New from the File menu.
o Angle Units for Trigonometric
Calculcations –
Calculated columns, curve
fits, and modeled functions may use
trigonometric calculations; choose Degrees
or Radians here. The default is set to radians.
o Number of Points for Derivative
Calculations –
Calculated columns, curve
fits, modeled functions, and even the
automatic setup for sensors (e.g., Motion
Detectors) may use numerical derivatives.
The algorithm for such derivatives utilizes a user-defined number of points. The
default value of seven points is good for many experiments, but you may want to
choose a larger number for human-scale Motion Detector experiments (e.g., our
LabQuest App
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Motion Match lab), or a smaller number for cart-based Motion Detector experiments
(e.g., our Impulse and Momentum lab).
•
Quit – Choose Quit from the File menu to exit LabQuest App. Since other applications
can run simultaneously with LabQuest App, there is typically no need to quit
LabQuest App during standard use.
Data Collection
Data collection with LabQuest starts from the Meter Screen, which is the default screen for
LabQuest App. From this screen, you can view sensor meters in real time as well as a summary
of the data-collection settings. Additionally, you can access tools to modify and customize these
settings for your particular experiment.
Digital Meters
A digital meter for each connected sensor is shown on
this screen. Tap on a meter to change the sensor’s
settings. The available options will depend on the
sensor and may include options to change the units,
calibrate, zero, and reverse the sensor. These options
can also be accessed from the Sensors menu.
Analog Meters
To display an analog meter, choose Meter Setup from
the Sensors menu, or as a shortcut, tap the digital meter
on the Meter screen.
Within the Meter Setup dialog box, enter the minimum
and maximum values for the meter range. If you want to
view both the analog and digital readings for a sensor,
select the Show digital reading check box in the Meter
Setup dialog box.
Data-Collection Summary
A summary of the data-collection settings (Mode, Rate, Duration) is shown in the panel to the
right of the Meter screen. For most sensors, the default data-collection mode is Time Based. The
default collection rate for the connected sensor is automatically set up when LabQuest identifies
the sensor. To modify the data-collection settings, tap the summary box. Alternatively, you can
choose Data Collection from the Sensors menu. For detailed descriptions of data-collection
modes and parameters, see
Data-Collection Settings.
LabQuest App
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Data-Collection Controls
To start data collection from any LabQuest App screen, tap Collect . During data collection,
tap Stop to end data collection early. In select ed d ata-collection modes (e.g., Events with
Entry), a Keep button
will appear to the right of the Stop button. In this mode, you must tap
to record the data point in the data table. For more information, see Events with Entry.
Data-Collection Settings
The Sensors menu provides access to detailed setup
controls. Use this menu to set up internal sensors, nonauto-ID sensors, and the Wireless Dynamics Sensor
System (WDSS). You can also use this menu to change
the data-collection parameters and adjust sensorspecific settings.
•
Sensor Setup – Choose Sensor Setup from the
Sensors menu to view connected sensors. To
manually set up non-auto-ID sensors, tap the
field displaying “No Sensor” for the channel to
which your sensor is connected. Then choose
the appropriate sensor from the list and tap OK.
You can also activate (or deactivate) the internal
sensors from the Sensor Setup dialog box. Select
the check box next to the desired sensor to make
that sensor available for data collection.
•
Data Collection – Choose Data Collection from
the Sensors menu to set the data-collection mode
and associated parameters. The parameters listed
will depend on the mode selected.
o
Mode: Time-Based – Time-based data
collection is the default data-collection
mode for most sensors. In this mode,
sensor readings are recorded at regular
time intervals.
Adjustable parameters for this mode
include the rate (or interval) and duration
of data collection. The total number of
samples to be collected based on these
parameters will be displayed.
Warning Messages
Under some circumstances, the Rate and Duration fields may be highlighted in
yellow or red. The yellow warning indicates that the rate has been set to a value
slower or faster than what is recommended for the connected sensor, or that the
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