Motion Tracking in Undergraduate Physics Laboratories with the Wii Remote

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how the Wiimote can be effectively used in undergraduate physics labs to improve data collection and accuracy in experiments measuring momentum and gravitational constant.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of the Wiimote for physics experiments, showing its advantages over traditional methods in educational settings.

Findings

Wiimote provides accurate motion tracking in physics experiments.

Using Wiimote simplifies data acquisition process.

Results with Wiimote are generally superior to conventional techniques.

Abstract

We report the incorporation of the Wiimote, a light-tracking remote control device, into two undergraduate-level experiments. We provide an overview of the Wiimote's basic functions and a systematic analysis of its motion tracking capabilities. We describe the Wiimote's use in measuring conservation of linear and angular momentum on an air table, and measuring the gravitational constant with the classic Cavendish torsion pendulum. Our results show that Wiimote is a simple and affordable way to streamline the data acquisition process and produce results that are generally superior to those obtained with conventional techniques.