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Use the data collecting app Phyphox with external sensors like PocketLab

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Submitted by PocketLab on Thu, 09/13/2018 - 17:06

Phyphox App Can Connect with PocketLab Voyager for Interesting New Experiments and Use Cases

The public phyphox beta for connecting Bluetooth Low Energy devices to their data logging app was released this month. A collection of ten experiments, designed by PocketLab superuser Dr. Richard Born, connects PocketLab Voyager with the phyphox app for a number of exciting new use cases, including connecting two Voyagers at once and displaying both data sets simultaneously. 

What is phyphox? 

Phyphox (physical phone experiments) is an app for Android and iOS that uses the phone's built-in sensors to collect data and do interesting experiments. The public beta for their Android app allows for outside sensors like PocketLab Voyager to collect data in their app as well. 

What can I do with my PocketLab Voyager and the new phyphox beta on Android? 

Here is a current list of the experiments published on our website that use the phyphox beta along with a PocketLab Voyager. Below are a couple of example videos. 

Periodic Motion of a Pair of Physics Carts: Experiment and Theory

Magnetic Dipole Experiment: Inverse Cube Law

 

Loading the Ten PocketLab Voyager Experiments into Phyphox

Once you have become a phyphox beta tester (see instructions below), all ten of the phyphox/Voyager experiments can be loaded at once into phyphox using the QR Code below.

  1. Open the phyphox app.
  2. Click the + sign in the lower right corner of the phyphox main screen.
  3. Click “Add experiment from QR code”.
  4. Scan the QR code shown below. 

 

Code for Phyphox/Voyager expierments

You will then see that the group of ten experiments shown below has been added alphabetically by title to phyphox in the main menu category “PocketLab Voyager”.

10 phyphox and voyager experiments

 

How do I get started and become a beta tester?  

In order to become a beta tester, you first need to install the phyphox app on your Android device.  If you don’t have the phyphox app installed, it can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.  You can then type and enter phyphox into the Google Play search window.  Select the phyphox app and click to install the app on your Android device.  The icon for the phyphox app is shown below.

Phyphox icon

Click this link to become a beta tester.  You will get the message shown below. 

Phyphox beta invitation

Then click BECOME A TESTER in the lower right corner.  You will see the message shown below, welcoming you to the testing program.  You should receive an update for the phyphox app, though it can take a while to receive it.  Be patient.  The update will be described as phyphox (Beta), which you can install as soon as you receive it.  Note that phyphox is pronounced fee’-fox.

phyphox beta welcome message

I need help connecting or want more information about phyphox? 

For more information on phyphox, you can visit their website at phyphox.org.

For additional help using phyphox head to their forums page here. 

Note that the beta is only available on Android as public betas are not supported on iOS.  A closed beta will be offered when the iOS version is ready. 

 

Two Voyagers on carts sending data to phyphox

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