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Introducing the Pivot Interactives Iris™️ Light and Color Measuring Tools
Introducing the Pivot Interactives Iris™️ Light and Color Measuring Tools

Introducing the Pivot Interactives Iris™️ Light and Color Measuring Tools.

Peter Bohacek avatar
Written by Peter Bohacek
Updated over 2 years ago

Pivot Interactives introduces a revolutionary new technology: Iris™. Iris™ is a family of color- and light-based measuring tools that allow quantitative measurements directly from information encoded in a video within a web browser. This means that Pivot Interactives's interactive measurement tools can now include light- and color-based measurements. Some examples of how this can be used are:

  • temperature measurements from a video recorded with an infrared camera,

  • light transmittance measurements for colorimetry or absorption spectroscopy,

  • color-based pH measurements using indicators,

  • population density measurements for microbial organisms (algae, yeast),

  • fluorescence measurements to determine biological processes, such as enzyme activity, or

  • turbidity measurements for studies of water quality.

This can be used both for videos that are part of Pivot Interactives collection of pre-made interactive videos, but also for videos uploaded by students into the Pivot Interactives platform. For example, students can upload a video of a chemical reaction such as the decomposition of crystal violet by sodium hydroxide, and measure the changes in concentration as a function of time to learn about reaction kinetics. Normally, this analysis would require the use of a specialized spectrometer or colorimeter. Surprisingly, the resolution available from the Iris™ colorimeter is even greater than some colorimeters available for classroom use.

Iris™ technology helps Pivot Interactives further it's mission of enabling phenomena-based active learning for students everywhere. With Iris™ students can explore and investigate using straightforward tools to make sophisticated measurements previously unavailable in classrooms. Phenomena far beyond the wall of the classroom are within easy reach: energy flow within systems, population dynamics, and chemical and biological process. With Iris™, a whole new realm of science becomes instantly available.

Here is an example. The Iris™ temperature tool is being used to measure the rate of energy transfer along three bars: steel, aluminum, and copper. Students can make precise measurements of the temperature, and the amount of energy transferred by each material. Using the Iris™ temperature tool, students can explore and discover for themselves in just minutes what properties affect the energy transferred by different materials. This is an example of how Pivot Interactives Iris™ enables engaging, effective science instruction.

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