Team Members: Sara Tumarkin, Marsel Nasr

Supervisors / Mentors: Dr. Amir Ben Shalom

 

We designed a system that captures fast UV-triggered polymerization reactions and replays them in slow motion, as part of an exhibit at the science museum. The challenge was to detect a rapid UV flash and immediately coordinate high-speed video capture using affordable compact components.

The system is based on a Raspberry Pi 3 connected to a Pi Camera Module v2 and an analog UV sensor. When the sensor detects a spike in UV light, the signal is digitized via an external ADC and used to trigger high-speed frame capture. These frames are buffered in RAM and then played back in slow motion on an HDMI display.

User interaction is handled through physical buttons (Play, Pause, Reset), enabling standalone operation without the need for external devices or software. All components were chosen for low cost and ease of integration, with the full system built for under $120.

We focused on optimizing the system for speed and reliability by testing different camera modes and adjusting timing parameters. The final setup combines real-time sensing, control and imaging, making fast chemical reactions easier to observe and understand in an educational context.