App-lied science: How mobile phones can bring out your inner Einstein

Those who grew up watching "Dexter's Laboratory" might have dreamed of having a dark, vaulted room which they could fill with marvelous fantasy inventions. Now, reality has afforded us the imagination to own a massive chamber of scientific wonder lodged in every inch of the smartphone.

Image Source: gilimbaa.com.au

Mobile devices, when equipped with the right tools, can make everything possible, and that includes helping scientists and researchers manage their studies from wherever they are. With support from tech investors, app developers have designed and created forward-looking apps that both scientists and students can use to effectively carry out their projects.

Image Source: sap.com

Streamlining the data gathering process counts as a major advantage of using mobile apps. With the help of a smartphone's built-in camera, notepad, and voice recorder, and a reliable data management and stamping tool, scientists can capture images, record audio data, jot down observations from the field or the conference table, and neatly arrange them into files and folders with much ease using cloud management systems.

Image Source: phys.org

Exploring scientific literature while on the go is also possible. A handful of research apps offers real-time access to abstracts and even the full text of both previous and recent studies. While scanning web-based databanks using smartphones can be more straining than using a desktop, apps give researchers an accessible option. Even without textbooks or journals within reach, they can get their knowledge fix the moment an idea pops up in between sips of coffee.

Other applications such as complex calculators and lab solvers even allow for calibrating data and performing SI unit conversions and other calculations beyond basic arithmetic. These features give researchers more time to focus on testing their hypothesis and less on figuring out Avogrado's number and other tedious scientific formulas.

Taihwa Terry Ho supports tech developments and startups that seek to improve the everyday lives of smartphone users. Visit this Facebook page to know more about her recent projects.