- Project Goal: The goal of this project is to determine which of the three smart technologies we are testing is the best with regards to overheating, cost effectiveness, energy consumption, and battery life.
- Roles: We are splitting the test and the resulting analysis equally. Ryan will conduct the tests/analysis regarding cost effectiveness and energy consumption. Nora will conduct the tests/analysis regarding battery life and overheating.
- Equipment/Supplies: Our experiments will require the following materials: 1. A Watts Up? Pro 2. A temperature probe 3. An infrared temperature probe (if available) 4. Duct tape 5. A stopwatch 6. A Nook HD+ tablet 7. An HTC smartphone 8. A Macbook Pro laptop
- Science/Technology Involved: We are using a Watts Up? Pro to test both the energy consumption levels of each device and the cost efficiency of each device. A Watts Up? Pro measures the amount of electricity being consumed by a device in real time, it can measure this in both Watts and KWH. We are also planning on using a Vernier temperature probe and an infrared temperature sensor (if available). The Vernier temperature probe will be duct taped to the back of each device to read temperature increases. The infrared sensor works by reading the black-body radiation (energy) emitted by the device and converting it into a temperature. The infrared temperature probe would be more affective because it does not require contact with the device to measure an increase in temperature. The three devices we are testing are an HTC evo 3D smartphone, a Nook HD+ tablet running Android 4.1 software, and a Macbook Pro Laptop running Mac 0SX version 10.7.
- Activity Plan: Overheating Test: To test the severity to which each device overheats we will open up Netflix on each device (each device will be tested individually for more accurate data). We will make sure that there are no background programs running on the devices while Netflix is playing. We will choose a show that is either an hour or 30 minutes long depending on the time it takes for the first device’s temp to increase by approximately 10 degrees. At the start of the show we will begin taking the temp, this reading will be at t=0, after every 5 minutes we will record the temperature reading. We will run 2 trials for each device using both a Vernier temp probe and an infrared temperature probe. After all data is collected we will graph temperature versus time and compare the results accordingly. Battery life test: First, after fully charging it, we will turn on the device. As soon as the device powers on fully we will start a stopwatch. We will record how long it takes for the battery to use up 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and finally 100% of its charge. Repeat the test now using Netflix while conducting the test recording how long it takes for the battery to run out of charge. Once all data is recorded we will graph loss of charge versus time and compare the results. Energy Consumption: We will be using the Watts Up Pro to measure how much energy, in watts, each device uses in an hour. We will have each device play a video on Netflix to use up energy. After recording the wattage each device uses, we will import the data from the Watts Up Pro into Logger Pro to get a graph of energy used over time. Cost Effectiveness: Once we determine the energy consumption for each device, will we find the kilowatts used per hour of all three devices. Knowing the price per kilowatt hour, we can convert these numbers into a cost. Taking into account things like the down payment costs of each device and how much a phone plan costs, we can determine which device gives you the most for its cost.
- Meeting Times: We will meet three times a week. Thursdays at 5:00 pm, and then on Saturdays and Sundays at noon.
- Expected Data/Outcomes: We expect that with regards to energy consumption the Mac laptop will use the most energy because it has the largest processing system out of the three devices tested. The tablet will follow the laptop in energy consumption, and the phone will use the least amount of energy. With regards to cost effectiveness we expect that the tablet will be the most cost effective because it costs less than a laptop and, though it probably uses more energy, it does not have the cell phone/data plan that a smartphone has. We expect that the laptop will have the best battery life, because it has the biggest battery and therefore has more energy to consume than both the tablet and the smart phone. The tablet will probably have the second best battery life, and the phone will probably have the worst. Once again, this hypothesis is based off the difference in battery size and the fact that battery life is most likely directly proportional to energy consumption. Lastly, with regard to temperature data, we expect that the phone’s temperature will increase the most when using Netflix, then the tablet, and then the laptop. This is because the phone has the smallest processor so using Netflix will be the most taxing to this device.
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This is the kind of test consumers are interested in. Even though manufacturers give that kind of information, it is always under idealized conditions. It would be interesting if you could compare your results to specs given by the manufacturer.