ImagiProbe AirLink Sensor Interface Transports Students Into Wireless World

ImagiWorks® is set to unveil a new, wireless sensor-based data collection tool designed to transport middle school students into a world of scientific exploration and discovery. The ImagiProbe® AirLink Sensor Interface is the latest in a line of data collection systems and lab activities designed for use with Palm Powered™ handheld computers and devices.

Educators can see the new wireless system at the National Science Teachers Association conference in Dallas. The show runs Thursday through Sunday at the Dallas Convention Center.

"The ImagiProbe AirLink Sensor Interface provides unprecedented flexibility and enables exciting new scientific exploration possibilities," said Wayne Grant, Ph.D, vice president of PASCO scientific, Inc., and head of ImagiWorks, a business unit of PASCO. Free from the restrictions of wires, students can connect to sensors from up to 30 feet away, using a Bluetooth® equipped Palm Powered computer. The wireless sensor interface system uses a rechargeable battery for maximum flexibility, or the unit can be powered with an external power supply.

ImagiProbe(TM) AirLink Sensor Interface from ImagiWorks can transports students into wireless world of science exploration and discovery.The wireless system is designed for extreme mobility and fits easily into the palm of the hand. It supports the PASCO® PASPORT® line of more than 25 digital sensors, which offer state-of-the-art measurement, and many existing analog sensors through an optional PASCO Analog Sensor Adapter.

"These capabilities are especially important in middle schools because so few of them have access to labs, which often delays any meaningful science activities until high school," said Grant. "Having a handheld and a wireless sensor interface gives schools an easy-to-setup, affordable and very practical way to help students develop an interest in science by making their own discoveries. It enables teachers to prepare learning environments that make scientific discovery fun and very personal to the students."

Used with the ImagiProbe software application, the wireless interface enables an experimental approach to gathering information through data collection trials. Students can collect data; graph data as it's collected, annotate it, analyze it to discover relationships, rules and principals, and transfer the data to a desktop computer.

The ImagiProbe application supports installable content such as investigations with notes and trials with predefined setups. Teachers can set up a collection of investigations and trials saving them for future installation. Teachers can pre-install activities and assignments, including sensors, sampling rate, sensor calibrations and inquiry templates, directly into the ImagiProbe application on the students' computing device. This gives students easy access to each activity as they are conducting their investigations because they can carry the text and setup with them and simultaneously collect data and read references. Teachers can focus on what their students learn rather than the logistics of pulling all the materials together.

SensorScience™ discovery-oriented activity sets for General Science, Physical Science: Chemistry and Water Quality are available as "installable content" databases. Each lab activity can be installed as a separate Palm Reader™ eBook so the full text of the student activity is available on the computing device. With eBooks students can read, add notations, view illustrations and bookmark the material. Complete activities, including Teacher Notes, student activity and sample student reports, are available in PDF format. ImagiLab discovery solutions include SensorScience™ discovery activities, sensors and a field carrying case.

The ImagiProbe software enables students and teachers to:

-- Create an unlimited number of investigations, each containing notes
and an unlimited number of data collection trials.

-- Setup and Collect sample data rates from 1/hour to 1000/second.

-- View data in real time as a strip chart. After collection, page, zoom,
rescale and trace the data.

-- Export data collected to other Palm Powered applications for analysis
on the device while still in the data collection context.

For information on the ImagiProbe AirLink Sensor Interface and available sensors visit www.imagiworks.com or call (650) 373-0300.
About ImagiWorks

ImagiWorks, a business unit of PASCO scientific based in Roseville, is the leading provider of science and math education solutions for the Palm OS® platform. Founded in 1998, ImagiWorks focuses on using the power of inexpensive computers to reshape how teachers teach and students learn science and mathematics. In June 2004, the company was acquired by PASCO scientific, a leading developer of innovative, technology-based solutions for hands-on science. PASCO continues to use the name and brand. ImagiWorks' products include the ImagiProbe sensor-based data collection system for Palm Powered devices and ImagiLab SensorScience™ packages that employ ImagiProbe for science education and research. ImagiWorks also produces the ImagiMath® learning environment for math education. For further information on the company, call (650) 373-0300 or visit www.imagiworks.com.

© 2005 PASCO scientific, ImagiWorks, ImagiProbe, ImagiLab, SensorScience, ImagiMath, PASPORT and PASCO are trademarks or registered trademarks of PASCO scientific. Palm Powered and Palm OS are registered trademarks of Palm Trademark Holding Company, LLC. 2004

Contact:
Kathleen Dixon
Dixon Communications
408-871-7765
kathleen@kdixon.com

SOURCE: ImagiWorks

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