Vernier Original LabQuest User Manual

Vernier LabQuest™

Reference Guide

Version 1.1

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Welcome to Vernier LabQuest

LabQuest Reference Guide

This is the LabQuest Reference Guide. It is an extended guide to using the Vernier
LabQuest. Also available is the shorter LabQuest Quick-Start Guide, included in print in the
LabQuest box.

An updated version of this Reference Guide may be available at
http://www.vernier.com/labquest/updates

This guide is written for the second release of the LabQuest software, version 1.1, released
in April 2008. There will be additional updates to the LabQuest App and the LabQuest
operating system. See Install LabQuest Updates later in this guide for instructions.

The LabQuest Hardware

Find the power button in the upper left corner, and press it. If the screen does not light
after a moment, connect the power adapter to LabQuest and to a power source.

LabQuest is controlled both by the touch screen and by the hardware keys below the screen.
The button you will use most often is the collect button located just below the

screen. On the left side of LabQuest are the audio ports and the power port, used to
recharge the battery. On the right side are two digital sensor ports, used for Motion
Detectors, Drop Counters, and other digital sensors. The top edge of LabQuest has four
ports for sensors such as pH, Temperature and Force. Also on the top edge are a stylus
storage slot, a full size USB port for printers, USB drives, and other peripherals, an SD card
slot for memory expansion, and a mini USB port for connecting LabQuest to a computer.
On the underside are the battery compartment and a stylus tether attachment point.

Turn off your LabQuest by pressing the power button for about a second.

For longest use, charge your LabQuest overnight.

Items Included with LabQuest

LabQuest unit
Printed LabQuest Quick-Start Guide
A CD or CDs containing

• computer software

• LabQuest Reference Guide

• flash introduction
USB cable

Power adapter
Stylus (2)
Stylus tether kit

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Collect Data with LabQuest

Here’s how to quickly collect some data with your new LabQuest.

1. Wake up your LabQuest by pressing the silver
power button on the upper left corner. If your
LabQuest does not wake, your battery may be
discharged. Connect the LabQuest to its power
adapter, and continue.

2. Connect an analog sensor (auto-ID capable) to
one of the ports on the top edge of LabQuest.
Something simple like a temperature, light or
force sensor is best. LabQuest will set itself for
data collection with that sensor. Note the live
readout on the Meter screen.

3. Press the Collect button just below the
LabQuest screen. Data collection will begin, and
a graph will show your data being plotted in real
time.

Charge your LabQuest overnight for a full battery
charge.

LabQuest App Introduction

The LabQuest is both hardware and software. The software called LabQuest App is the data
collection heart of your LabQuest. When you wake a LabQuest using the silver power
button, the LabQuest App is started. What follows is a brief introduction to LabQuest App.
See the section titled “Additional LabQuest App Features” for more information.

Take some data using the steps in the previous section,
and then try some LabQuest analysis features.

Use the Stylus to Examine Your Data

Tap on the graph itself, near some feature of interest on
your graph. The Examine cursor jumps to the nearest
data point of the x-value you tapped. Cursor lines
highlight the x- and y-axis values, and the right-side
readouts display the associated numerical values of the

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point. You can make fine adjustments to the cursor location by using the left and right
cursor keys below the screen.

The Analyze menu enables additional ways to inspect
your data. Tap Analyze, and then tap Tangent. Now tap
near an interesting place on your graph; a tangent line is
drawn in addition to the examine cursors. On the right
side of the graph the numerical value of the slope is
shown.

To turn off the Tangent function, choose it again from
the Analyze menu.

Select a Region for Statistics

Some analysis functions allow you to select a range of
data. To select a range, use the stylus to drag across the
region of interest. Now you can perform tasks like
integrals, statistics, or curve fits. Try this: Drag across a
feature on your graph, and then select Statistics from
the Analyze menu, choosing the particular sensor or
column.

The graph now shows the selected region, and
descriptive statistics are displayed to the right of the
graph. You can remove the statistics display by choosing Statistics again from the Analyze
menu.

Select a Region for Curve Fit

Curve fits can also
start with a selection.
Otherwise, the entire
graph is used. To
perform a curve fit,
drag across a region
of the graph if you
want to make a
selection. Then
choose Curve Fit
from the Analyze menu. In the new screen, you will see your graph, as well as a menu of fit
equations. Display the equations by tapping the down-arrow to the right of the list. Tap
Linear to perform a linear fit to your data. The fit coefficients are shown. To place the fit on
your main graph, tap OK. The fit and its statistics are shown on the main screen.

Once you have performed a curve fit, you can use the Interpolate function to read values off
of the fitted function. Choose Interpolate, and tap on the graph. The examine lines now
locate a position on the fitted function, and coordinates along the fitted line are shown to

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the right of the graph. You can tell that LabQuest is in the Interpolation mode by the square
cursor shown at the Examine point.

To remove the fit, choose Curve Fit again from the Analyze menu.

Multiple Runs

You can collect several runs for comparison. Tap the
file cabinet icon ; the run will be stored, and the

graph cleared. Collect another run by pressing the
Collect button. Your new run is displayed on the graph.
To see your first run, tap the button reading Run 2, and
select either Run 1 or All Runs. In this way you can
gather multiple runs for comparison, and view just the
ones you want.

Use LabQuest with a Computer

Software Requirements

Your LabQuest comes with computer software. Use either Logger Lite 1.4 (or newer) or
Logger Pro 3.6 (or newer) with LabQuest. If you already own Logger Pro 3, updates to
Logger Pro are available for free download at www.vernier.com/tech/lpupdates.html

A compatible version of computer software is included with your LabQuest. Install the
software from the included CD if you do not have compatible software already installed.

Connect the LabQuest to your computer using the included USB cable. The mini end
connects to LabQuest, and the full-size end connects to an available USB port on your
computer.

The LabQuest can be used with a computer in two ways. Data can be collected directly to
Logger Pro or Logger Lite, or you can retrieve previously collected data from the LabQuest
to either program.

Collect Data with LabQuest Directly to Logger Lite or Logger Pro

1. Connect a sensor to LabQuest. Something simple like force or temperature1 is a
good choice.

2. Launch Logger Pro or Logger Lite. The computer will detect the LabQuest and the
attached sensor, and display a graph ready for data collection.

3. Click the Collect button in Logger Pro or Logger Lite to collect data.

Automatically Transfer Data from LabQuest to the Computer

If you collect data in LabQuest App, and you then connect the LabQuest to a computer,
Logger Lite or Logger Pro will automatically detect the presence of the remote data and offer
to retrieve it.

1

The sensor used must be auto-ID-capable.

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Collect some data on LabQuest so you can try this. Then, connect the LabQuest to your
computer and launch Logger Lite or Logger Pro. The computer application will detect the
LabQuest and its data, and display a dialog indicating that remote data are available. Follow
instructions in that and subsequent dialogs to download data to the computer.

LabQuest Browser

Logger Pro and Logger Lite allow you to copy files back and forth between the LabQuest
and your computer, as well as delete files on the LabQuest unit. Access these functions from
the LabQuest Browser, found on the File menu in Logger Lite or Logger Pro.

Manually Transfer Data from LabQuest to Computer

In addition to the automatic detection of recent data in LabQuest by Logger Pro or Logger
Lite (described in the preceding sections) you can also download any saved data from
LabQuest to the computer. After an experiment is complete on LabQuest, choose Save
from the LabQuest File menu. Give the experiment an identifying name. You may save
multiple LabQuest files on LabQuest this way.

Tip: When taking data in the field, store experiments as files on the LabQuest. To do this,
choose Save from the File menu, and give the experiment a descriptive name. Choose either
the LabQuest, or optionally a USB drive or SD card, as the location. This way you can save
as many experiments as you like. Later, you can either use LabQuest Browser in Logger Pro
or Logger Lite to open the files, or connect the USB drive or SD card to your computer and
open the files directly in Logger Pro or Logger Lite.

On the computer, choose Open from the LabQuest Browser, which is found in the File
menu. Select the desired file from the LabQuest, and open it. Your LabQuest file will be
opened on the computer, including any data, notes, and data collection configuration. Only
one file can be opened at a time. You may choose to subsequently save the data as a Logger
Pro or Logger Lite file.

Tip: If sensors are still connected when a LabQuest file is opened in Logger Pro or Logger
Lite, the sensors will be ignored. To enable the sensors, choose New from the File menu in
the computer application.

Another option is to Import data from the LabQuest. Import differs from Open in that only
the data in the LabQuest file are added to the current computer session. This allows you to
compile data from multiple LabQuest sessions into a single computer session for graphing
and comparison.

Tip: Compile class results from multiple LabQuest files (or multiple LabQuests) by
repeatedly importing data into a single Logger Pro or Logger Lite file.

Manually Move Data from Computer to LabQuest

Data and/or sensor configurations can be saved to the LabQuest from your computer.
Open a computer file, or set up the computer for the data collection details you desire.

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Choose Save As… from the LabQuest Browser (found in the File menu), and enter a
descriptive file name. Any data, and the sensor configuration, will be stored on the LabQuest
as a LabQuest file. Any features in the computer file not existing on LabQuest (such as
embedded images, video analysis, graph annotations or most calculated columns) will be
ignored on LabQuest.

Delete Data on LabQuest

The LabQuest Browser includes a Delete function. Choose Delete from the LabQuest
Browser, and select the file you want to remove from LabQuest.

Tip: Use the LabQuest Browser to mass delete files from LabQuest. Click to select multiple
files, and click Delete. This is the only way to delete more than one file at a time.

Remote Setup of LabQuest from Logger Pro

Logger Pro allows you to configure LabQuest for data collection from the computer. Set up
Logger Pro as desired for your sensors, data collection rate and duration. Choose
RemoteSetupLabQuest from the Experiment menu. Disconnect the LabQuest when
prompted. Collect data on LabQuest using its screen and keys. Notes: This feature is not
available in Logger Lite, and is equivalent to setting up LabQuest using LabQuest App
controls.

Additional LabQuest App Features

This section reviews the features and functions of the LabQuest App in detail. First the
overall LabQuest screen, and then the four tabs and their special contents, are described.

The LabQuest App Screen

There are four tabs across the top of the LabQuest
screen: the Meter, Graph, Table, and Notes tabs. Tap a
tab to display its screen. Across the bottom of the
screen are icons for Collect, Home, Calculator,
Keyboard, Sounds, Battery, and the current time. The
Battery icon is not shown on the LabQuest Emulator,
used to make these screen images. The bottom-row
icons are always visible, but the tabs are only present when LabQuest App is active.

All four tabs share the same File menu, used to open
existing files, save data into a file, print, and perform
other tasks.

File Menu

The File menu is similar to the File menu on a
computer. Here you can save and open files, print,
change settings, and quit the application. LabQuest App
can read and write files to LabQuest memory, a sort of
virtual hard disk. Files contain experimental setup, data,
analysis, and notes. Files allow you to retain a collection of past work, either for later referral

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on the LabQuest, or for download to a computer. If you only want to download the current
LabQuest session to computer, it is not necessary to save a file. Connect LabQuest to a
computer, and launch Logger Pro or Logger Lite.

New

New will reset data collection mode and calibrations to defaults, and will clear any existing
data. You will be prompted to save any unsaved data.

Open

Open displays a list of the files available on your
LabQuest. Initially this list is empty. Choose a file by
tapping it, and then tap OK. Files may be located in the
LabQuest flash memory, an SD card, or a USB drive.

Save

Save lets you give the current LabQuest session a name,
and then writes it to the selected location. This location
could be the internal LabQuest memory, an SD card, or
a USB drive.

Delete

Delete displays the same list as Open, but instead allows you to choose a file for deletion.
You can delete only one file at a time.

Export

Export is used to create data files in text format for use with other applications. A typical use
of this is to save a text file to an SD card or a USB flash drive, in order to open later in a
computer spreadsheet. An exported file contains all column values from all runs in the
current session.

View Lab Instructions

View Lab Instructions displays a list of the built-in laboratory instructions.

Print

Print  Graph, Table, My Notes, Lab Instructions, Screen. These options send the chosen
object to an attached HP printer.

Settings

Settings… controls options for the current session;
these settings are saved within a LabQuest file.
Calculated columns may use trigonometric calculations;
choose degrees or radians here. The default is radians.
Derivative functions, which are part of the automatic
setup for Motion Detectors, can be set to use a varying
number of points for the calculation. The default of 7
points is good for many experiments, but you may want
to choose a larger number for human-scale