It’s versatile, easy to use and competitively priced. Chris Drage bows down to DCP’s new data-logging triumph - perfect for primary schools
Explorer is a British made data-logger designed to meet monitoring requirements in science in primary schools. Manufactured by DCP Electronics, it has more common sense built in than many products boasting full bells and whistles.
Supplied as a complete set, for your pound;169 you get an Explorer, computer cable, fibre-optic cable, software, a comprehensive handbook and experiment resource book, all in a strong plastic case. Explorer is available for Windows or Apple Macintosh computers with USB or serial connections.
This little beast is very user-friendly and has been designed with the non-specialist in mind. It has three built-in sensors (light, temperature and sound) and can also accept additional self-recognising sensors. Its internal memory means it can be used out in the field using just three buttons for collecting data.
Using four AA batteries, Explorer’s useful range of tasks include remote auto-logging, timing and snapshot logging. Its built-in sensors can record data either away from the computer or capture it live, displaying it as a graph or table on the computer screen. It can also measure time and speed using its light sensor and all readings are clearly shown on an LCD screen. Up to three external sensors can be used at any one time.
You’re bound to need some external sensors and those available include an external temperature probe (-10oC to +110oC, pound;19.95), a voltage probe (0V to 10V dc, pound;16.95), a pH electrode (pound;69.95), and a heart rate sensor with earfinger clip (pound;69.95). Also available is a sensor extension lead (pound;3.95).
The handbook is superb, describing clearly how to use the logger. Not that you will need it very often, because the three-button operation makes data collection very easy. The LogIT Explorer’s range of functions and low cost make it an ideal primary data-logger.
LogIT Explorer - data-logger with software, connection cables, handbook and three sensors - is available from Commotion, Unit 11, Tannery Road, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1RFPrice:pound;169Tel:01732 773399Fax:01732 773390
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