The patented Smart Cart is the next generation in dynamics carts for the science classroom. Developed by PASCO, the Smart Cart begins with PASCO’s low-friction dynamics cart and adds wireless sensors that measure position, velocity, acceleration, force, and rotation. The Smart Cart connects to your devices using Bluetooth ® Low Energy wireless technology. Patent No. 10481173.
Introduction
With everything the Smart Cart can do, it will quickly become one of the most useful instruments in your physics lab
Products
The Smart Cart is a low-friction dynamics cart with onboard wireless sensors that measure position, velocity, acceleration, force, and rotation. It connects to your devices using Bluetooth® Low Energy wireless technology. It includes a magnetic bumper, force hook, rubber bumper, and a USB charging cable.
Overview
The original wireless sensor cart.
Onboard Sensors
- Encoder Wheel
- Load Cell
- Accelerometer
- Gyroscope
Included
- Magnetic Bumper
- Hook
- Rubber Bumper
- USB Charging Cable
Wireless freedom and simple setup saves lab time!
Connect the Smart Cart to PASCO software using in-app pairing to run classic experiments in kinematics and dynamics … without any wires. No other interface is required to start collecting data.
No track required!
Make measurements on or off the track! The Smart Cart does not require a track, additional interfaces, or encoder tape to make measurements. Anywhere you have a Bluetooth device and a smooth surface, the Smart Cart will measure its own motion.
Out-of-the-Box Physics with the Smart Cart
The Smart Cart is a physics lab on wheels and it is capable of performing many demonstrations and experiments right out of the box! Check out these simple but powerful activities you can use in your class today:
- Experiment: Average & Instantaneous Velocity & Speed
- Experiment: Centripetal Acceleration & Force
- Experiment: Hooke’s Law
- Experiment: Impulse Demonstration
- Experiment: Newton’s Second Law Demonstration
- Experiment: Static & Kinetic Friction
- Experiment: The Differences Between Velocity & Acceleration
- Experiment: Work-Energy Theorem
- Lab: Average = Speed & Velocity
- Lab: Conservation of Energy
- Lab: Conservation of Momentum
- Lab: Graphical Analysis Motion
- Lab: Momentum & Explosions
- Lab: Momentum & Impulse
- Lab: Speed & Velocity Graphs
- Lab: Work & Kinetic Energy
Review from The Physics Teacher, April 2018
The Smart Cart, a PASCO innovation, is causing a revolution in the physics lab.
The Smart Cart was taken through its paces in the April 2018 edition of The Physics Teacher. In this unsolicited review, professors Asif Shakur and Rainor Connor from Salisbury
University, Salisbury, MD, examined the use of the Smart Cart in traditional mechanics experiments.
"The convenience and simplicity of not getting tangled up in the clutter of all those wires cannot be overstated. We expect the Smart Cart to usher in a paradigm shift in undergraduate physics laboratory instruction."
Awards
The patented Wireless Smart Cart won the prestigious 2016 GESS (Global Education Supplies and Solutions) Innovation Product award.
Features
- Encoder wheel measures linear position, velocity, and acceleration.
- ±100 N force sensor measures forces along the rolling direction.
- 3-axis accelerometer measures x, y, z components of acceleration and the magnitude of the resultant.
- 3-axis gyroscope measures angular velocity around the x, y, and z axes.
- Magnetic bumper for elastic collisions
- 3-position plunger launches the Smart Cart using three repeatable forces.
- Velcro® tabs for inelastic collisions
- Force sensor hook attaches string, springs, or a rubber band to the force sensor.
- Rubber bumper measures harder impacts on the Smart Cart.
- Mass tray increases the system mass of the Smart Cart.
- Rechargeable battery for all-day use
- Accessory port for the Smart Fan … and other future accessories to come!
- USB charging cable
- Bluetooth® Low Energy wireless connectivity
- Free MatchGraph! software for Mac®/Windows®/iOS/Android™
- Free SPARKvue software for iOS/Android™/Chrome™
Your Choice of Software
The Smart Cart requires either PASCO Capstone, SPARKvue, or MatchGraph software. Compare software.
PASCO Capstone |
PASCO SPARKvue |
MatchGraph 2.0 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows® | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac® | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| iOS (iPad®, iPhone®) | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Chrome™ (Chromebook™) | ✓ | ||
| Android™ | ✓ | ✓ |
The graphs show the impulse experienced and the change in velocity created by a collision between two Wireless Smart Carts.
Download FREE MatchGraph! Software
MatchGraph 2.0 adds support for Smart Carts. Download the free software for Mac®, Windows®, iOS® or Android™ and engage students in a fun and simple graph-matching challenge. Graph-matching exercises are an ideal way to help students understand time-based graphs of position and velocity. This engaging kinesthetic activity helps students understand slope and rates of change by moving the Smart Cart to match motion graphs.
Learn More
Accessories
NEW! Smart Ballistic Accessory!
The Smart Ballistic Accessory mounts to the Smart Cart for a classic demonstration on the independence of X and Y motion. Connects to the Smart Cart accessory port. Control the launching conditions based on measurements made by the Smart Cart in either Sparkvue or PASCO Capstone software. Learn more.
Add to Cart
NEW! Smart Cart Vector Display!
The Smart Cart Vector Display adds visual vectors to your Smart Cart for Force, Acceleration, or Velocity. Connect to the Smart Cart’s accessory port to Visualize vectors in real time! Arrows light up proportional to the sensor reading showing either positive or negative direction and magnitude.
Add to Cart
Smart Fan Accessory
The Smart Fan Accessory works with all PASCO Dynamic Carts but adds new features and functionality when connected to a Smart Cart. Use PASCO Capstone software to wirelessly adjust the level of thrust, set start/stop conditions, or use calculations for precise control of the fan. Learn more.
Add to Cart
Smart Cart Rod Clamp
This accessory allows the Smart Cart to be suspended from a rod stand. Use the Smart Cart’s force sensor to measure the force of an oscillating spring and mass. The Smart Cart can be mounted directly to a vertical rod or to a horizontal cross-rod.
Add to Cart
Smart Cart Charging Garage Accessory
Keep your Smart Carts charged in the lab. Charge up to five Smart Carts at once. Provides storage for the carts and accessory bumpers. Includes power adapter.
Add to CartProduct Videos
See how PASCO's innovative Wireless Smart Cart can measure position, velocity, acceleration, force, and more, both on and off a track.
Fourteen great ideas for using the PASCO Wireless Smart Cart in your physics lab. Plus one bad one.
Get a deeper understanding of position, velocity and acceleration by matching your motion to the graphs in MatchGraph! Now you can even use a Smart cart! When better matches equal better scores, its time to get your kinematics game on!
Use the wireless Smart Cart and SPARKvue software to measure the impact force of a collision, then see how the impact can be reduced with student designed bumpers and barriers.
Product Specifications
| Force Range | ±100 N |
| Force Resolution | 0.1 N |
| Force Accuracy | ±1.0% |
| Force Maximum Sampling Rate | 2.0 kHz |
| Position Resolution | ±0.2 mm |
| Max Velocity | ±3.0 m/s |
| Velocity Max Sample Rate | 500 Hz |
| Acceleration Range | ±16 g |
| Acceleration Max Sample Rate | 500 samples/second |
| Max Rotational Speed Sampling Rate | 500 samples/second |
| Max Wireless Range | 30 m (unobstructed) |
| Maximum Measurable Rotation Rate (Gyro) | ±245 deg/second |
| Mass Without Accessories | 245 g |
| Patent No. | 10481173 |
Battery and Logging
| Stored Data Points Memory (Logging) 1 | Not Supported |
| Battery - Connected (Data Collection Mode) 2 | >7 hr |
| Battery - Logging (Data Logging Mode) 3 | Not Supported |
| Battery Type | LiPo |
1 Minimum # of data points with all measurements enabled, actual results depend on enabled measurements.
2 Continuous use in a connected state until battery failure, actual results will depend on sample rate, active measurements, and battery condition.
3 Logging until battery failure, actual results will depend on sample rate, active measurements, and battery condition.
* Normal classroom use is the sensor in active use for 20min/lab for 120 lab periods/yr.