Measure your car’s performance with this cool little gadget, the K.A.T. Matrix. Just simply mounts the device to your windshield or dashboard and soon the device will gives you readouts on everything from horsepower, g-forces, acceleration and ¼ mile speeds. It manages to pull this off using a built-in accelerometer which means there is no-compromise on performance and accuracy! Available now for $59.99. [Dvice]
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
How does the KAT Matrix know when I reach 60 m/h?
Ditto for the 1/4 mile?
I now it starts counting when I accelerate, but????
There is no info in the instructions!
It’s all in the physics!
Acceleration, Speed, and Distance are all functions of time. It has an internal clock that keeps track of the time and an accelerometer measures the acceleration directly. Using those two components it derives the other information.
Integrating the acceleration with respect to time gives the speed and integrating the speed with respect to time results in the distance traveled.
All this assumes that you are starting from a dead stop, which is why it calibrates itself before each run. Driving up / down hills will mess with your results because the acceleration of gravity will act on your car at a different angle than it did when the unit calibrated itself.
the really cool thing is that it calculates your Horsepower (a Force) from the weight of your vehicle (which it converts to Mass) and the acceleration (measured directly).
Force = Mass * Acceleration.
That is why it is very important to add up the total weight of your vehicle, passengers and cargo. It’s only accurate if the calculated mass is accurate. Also note that this is going to measure rear wheel HP – the actual force propelling your car forward. Lets face it, who cares how much HP your engine produces if it never makes it to the pavement.