Phyphox: Open-Source App Turns Smartphone Sensors into Physics Lab Tools

Phyphox is an open-source application developed at RWTH Aachen University that repurposes built-in smartphone sensors - accelerometers, microphones, gyroscopes - as instruments for physics experiments. Users can measure phenomena like pendulum frequencies or the Doppler effect without dedicated lab equipment, then export data in standard formats for further analysis.

The app supports remote control via any web browser, letting instructors or students run experiments from a laptop while the phone collects data. A custom experiment editor allows users to design their own sensor-based measurements beyond the built-in library. The project has earned multiple German academic teaching awards, including the 2020 Ars Legendi faculty prize, recognizing its impact on university and secondary school physics education.