Exploring Data Acquisition and Trajectory Tracking with Android Devices and Python
Data acquisition is the process of measuring a real-world physical property with a sensor. The sensor is designed to transform the magnitude of the physical property into an electrical signal that can be processed and visualized on a computer. Data acquisition systems (DASs) are widely used in engineering and science to monitor crucial components of a larger system, e.g. a DAS might monitor the temperature inside of a engine and the voltage of a battery to ensure safe operating conditions. In this article, I’ll show you how to use your smartphone as DAS to track its trajectory in 3D space (Fig. 1). Familiarity with linear algebra, calculus, Fourier transforms, and reference frames will be helpful. All code is available here.
A typical smart phone contains a MEMS accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, and magnetometer. Together, these sensors make up an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that measures the phone’s acceleration, rotation rate, and orientation in space. Additionally, smart phones are equipped with a GPS, and sensors for light, sound, and temperature. Androsensor is a powerful Android app for visualizing and recording sensor…
