New SPIE Press Book SmartIPL: Smartphone Based Introductory Physics Labs Now Published

We are pleased to announce the publication of a new book, SmartIPL: Smartphone Based Introductory Physics Labs, by SPIE Press. The book is now available in print and through the SPIE Digital Library.

SmartIPL presents an accessible approach to introductory physics laboratory education by using smartphones and the Tracker video-analysis application as versatile experimental tools. Designed for both high school and college students, the book enables learners to investigate fundamental physics concepts through hands-on experiments without relying on expensive or highly specialized laboratory equipment.

The central goal of SmartIPL is to make physics experimentation more accessible, engaging, affordable, and adaptable. Modern smartphones contain sophisticated cameras and sensors that can be used for quantitative measurements of motion and other physical phenomena. Combined with video analysis and straightforward experimental setups, these capabilities allow students to explore physical laws both inside and outside traditional teaching laboratories.

The new book builds on our earlier SPIE Press book, Use of Smartphones in Optical Experimentation, authored by Yiping Zhao and Yoong Sheng Phang and published in 2022. That book focused specifically on how smartphones can be used to demonstrate and quantitatively investigate fundamental principles of geometric and physical optics, including reflection, refraction, imaging, dispersion, polarization, and related optical phenomena.

SmartIPL extends this philosophy beyond optics to a broader range of introductory physics laboratory experiments. Together, the two books illustrate how widely available smartphone technology can be transformed into a flexible platform for hands-on science education—from optical experimentation to a more comprehensive introductory physics laboratory experience.

The book grew from continuing efforts to develop innovative approaches to physics laboratory instruction that emphasize experimental observation, quantitative analysis, and connections between theoretical concepts and real-world measurements. The experiments are designed to help students move beyond simply following laboratory procedures and instead develop skills in measurement, data analysis, physical modeling, and scientific reasoning.

According to SPIE Press, the book is designed to help make STEM education more accessible, engaging, and affordable while enabling students to explore physics “anytime, anywhere.”

Book Information

New Book:SmartIPL: Smartphone Based Introductory Physics Labs SPIE Press, 2026

Previous Book:Yiping Zhao and Yoong Sheng Phang, Use of Smartphones in Optical Experimentation, SPIE Press, 2022.

We thank SPIE Press, Matt Jungwirth, and Vanessa Blackburn for their support throughout the development and publication of SmartIPL.