[Paper Review] Plasduino: an inexpensive, general purpose data acquisition framework for educational experiments

L. Baldini, Christopher Sgro+10 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Dec 6, 2013

Experimental Learning in Engineering3 citations

TL;DR

Plasduino is an open-source, low-cost data acquisition framework built on the Arduino platform, designed for educational physics experiments. It enables real-time data collection from sensors via customizable shields and firmware, with proven success in university and high school labs for teaching data acquisition and analysis.

ABSTRACT

Based on the Arduino development platform, Plasduino is an open-source data acquisition framework specifically designed for educational physics experiments. The source code, schematics and documentation are in the public domain under a GPL license and the system, streamlined for low cost and ease of use, can be replicated on the scale of a typical didactic lab with minimal effort. We describe the basic architecture of the system and illustrate its potential with some real-life examples.

Motivation & Objective

• To develop an affordable, accessible data acquisition system for physics education in high schools and universities.
• To address the gap between expensive commercial systems and complex, hard-to-adopt DIY solutions in educational labs.
• To provide a fully open framework—hardware schematics, firmware source code, and documentation—under GPL for reuse and modification.
• To streamline data acquisition and real-time visualization for students with no prior experience in data collection or programming.
• To support diverse educational experiments through modular, customizable hardware and software components.

Proposed method

• Leverages the Arduino platform as a base, using low-cost microcontroller boards with 10-12 bit ADC resolution and USB connectivity.
• Employs custom PCB shields to interface with various sensors (e.g., thermistors, photodiodes, accelerometers) and extend functionality.
• Uses open-source firmware (sketches) written in C/C++ with the Arduino core library for signal sampling, timing, and communication.
• Integrates a host computer application for real-time data display, storage, and post-processing, with interactive GUI widgets for analysis.
• Employs a modular software architecture allowing automatic firmware upload and configuration via USB.
• Applies standard data analysis techniques such as linear fitting and error estimation based on ADC resolution (±0.03 °C) to validate measurements.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 Can a low-cost, open-source data acquisition system effectively support educational physics experiments in high school and undergraduate labs?
• RQ2 How does the performance of Plasduino compare to commercial systems in terms of accuracy and usability for novice users?
• RQ3 To what extent can open hardware and software frameworks like Plasduino enhance hands-on learning in experimental physics?
• RQ4 What is the feasibility of replicating the system in educational settings with minimal technical expertise?
• RQ5 How well does the system support real-time data visualization and interactive analysis for student learning?

Key findings

• Plasduino enables data acquisition for under €50, making it highly accessible for widespread deployment in educational labs.
• The system achieved a χ² of 35.9/13 for thermal conductivity measurements, indicating reasonable agreement with theory despite possible underestimation of errors.
• The relative uncertainty on the fitted thermal conductivity slope was approximately 0.5%, demonstrating acceptable precision for educational use.
• The graphical user interface proved intuitive enough for students with no prior data acquisition experience to use effectively with minimal instruction.
• The framework has been successfully deployed in university labs and is being adopted by local high schools, with plans to expand to weather stations and advanced modules.
• The open-source model, including full schematics and source code, supports customization and long-term sustainability in educational settings.