Recently, like this week, I found two new education resources on the Web that have a distinct focus on measurement. I’ll describe the first below because it has an extensive reach and is a widely used resource in Elementary & Secondary education.
The first find, Fourier Systems, was an accident during through a search for an image to illustrate the dataloggers used by Green Edge Systems in their wireless monitoring systems for food service, hospital and pharmaceutical organizations as described in a recent story on TempSensorNEWS.com. They utilize basic wireless loggers from an outfit called Fourier Systems Ltd.. Their website proclaims:
The Data Logging Experts Fourier Systems is a worldwide leader of compact portable data logging devices and accessories for the industrial market.
Digging a little deeper brought me to the realization that this apparently UK organization is an offshoot of Fourier Systems (1989) Inc., a completely different organization based in Orland Park, IL in the good old US of A. Imagine that!
Their self description reads:
Fourier is foremost an education company, with 95% of business coming from the education market. We are committed to improving student achievement and providing students with tools and skills that are critical for the 21st century.
It continues:
Fourier is widely recognized as one of the most innovative companies for education-centric solutions. The Nova solution line, comprising tablet PC and clamshell design options, are truly unique solutions providing a complete learning environment and representing a trusted brand customers can count on. Our partners are world class organizations including Dell, CDWG and a host of local Ingram resellers. Nova was designed for education and includes Fourier’s award winning MultiLogPRO data logger built-in.
Now that Nova device and the built-in datalogger sounds to me like the inroad into some serious measurements. And it is.
Turns out that the Nova products and much more can be combined, as Fourier has done, into a radical approach to science learning through a web site called Science-On-Line-ExperiNet.
Their website describes them as:
The world’s first fully equipped e-Learning laboratory that is completely automated and controlled through the Internet. Science On-Line’s patented remote laboratory facility allows students of all ages to perform real scientific experiments while surfing the Web.
Most interesting is the bottom line on this last site visited. It reads:
Copyright © Fourier Systems Ltd. All rights reserved.
Fourier Systems Ltd. HaMelacha 16, Afek Industrial Park, Rosh Ha’ayin, Israel 48091
Tel: +972-3-901-4849 | Fax: +972-3-901-4999 | info@science-on-line.comThe ExperiNet Center is brought to you by FOURIER SYSTEMS, the worldwide leader of compact portable data logging and computing devices and accessories for the educational market. FOURIER’s popular science kits for biology, chemistry, physics and environmental studies are sold in over 25 countries worldwide. FOURIER is dedicated to elevating the standard of scientific learning by continually introducing new and innovative ways of making scientific studies more exciting for today’s digital generation.
www.fourier-sys.com
It’s not clear from the three websites visited just how well the Online educational products are doing, especially given the recent competition from OLPC and others in the same marketplace. But I heartily commend their forward-reaching efforts. It looks like Fourier is doing its best to keep the two or three areas of their expertise seperate and distinct and the fact that they now have a seperate organization doing the industrial sales from Israel clearly separates them.
It’s worth noting that measurement devices and sensors supported for the Nova product line alone and sold into the education market by Fourier include:
Acceleration, Ammonium, Anemometer, Breathing, Calcium, Charge, Chloride, CO2 Gas Sensor, Colorimeter, Conductivity, Current, Distance, Drop Counter, EKG, Force, Geiger-Muller Counter, Heart Rate/Exercise, Heart Rate/Pulse, Humidity (5% Accuracy), Light, Magnetic Field, Microphone, Nitrate, Oxygen, pH, Photo Gate, Potassium, Pressure, Rain Collector, Rotary Motion, Smart Pulley, Soil Moisture, Sound Level, Temperature, Turbidity and Voltage.
Sounds like a lot of measurement capabilities for me and some of it well past elementary school level!
TEMPERATURES.COM, INC. publishes information about measurement devices and measurement on its websites. The sites have articles, directories and news to foster competent measurements & analysis in industry & science. Sites are free. Submissions by visitors are encouraged and reviewed. Sites as of August 2007 are: lehos tecHeadlines, measureNEWS, About Temperature Sensors, TempSensor Directories, TempSensorNEWS, Measurement Databases, (MeasurementBlog.com)MeasurementMedia.com and MeasurementDevices.com
When I was in college, the Korean War was just ended and the Draft was still active. I joined ROTC to insure uninterrupted education. I was lucky enough to get into graduate school and worked, got married had kids and then the ARMY said “Time to Serve”.
Is The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program new to you? It was to me until I discovered it a little while ago.
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