PhET Progress Report

Sam Reid

March 27, 2008

 

An online version of this report is available here.

Here’s a pie chart representation of the time distribution.

 

I’ll be out of the office March 27-30 (Thursday through Sunday), with little or no email contact.

 

Platform-Issues

 

Special Relativity

·         Literature search on existing sims that solve this problem

·         Real Time Relativity

·         Relativity Visualized

·         Groups point out that Lorentz contraction is rarely seen alone, and indeed not the most striking phenomenon seen at relativistic speeds.  Optical aberration introduces nonlinear effects.

·         Initial 3D implementation of Lorentz contraction under JOGL and Xith3D scenegraph

·         Decide whether we should handle optical aberrations

·         Decide whether we should show textbook explanations for Lorentz contractions, or just show the simulation

·         Make sure issues raised by JOGL are acceptable

 

Misc

·         Met with John regarding piccolo/nuclear physics

·         Discussed issues regarding PhetPCanvas, PLayer, coordinate transformations

·         Greenhouse: Converted to new about dialog

·         Deployed new translations

 

Upcoming Work

·         Please see all my high priority issues in Unfuddle, mainly lasers and cck

·         Continue investigation for special-relativity

·         Literature search and initial design of immunology sim?

·         Sorting out and prioritizing (non-cck) unfuddle issues

·         Post new Lasers and Neon Lights & Other Discharge Lamps after Archie interviews (may also receive minor update requests)