Find here the original press release dated January 6, 1997:

A pencil, a stop watch and a ruler. If these are your measurement tools for collecting motion data, go ahead and toss them in the back of the closet with the slide rule. Today there's a new way to collect motion data and use real-world experiences to capture students' attention.

Introducing the Texas Instruments Calculator-Based Ranger™ (CBR™), an exciting new tool for math and science teachers in middle school and high school. CBR is an easy-to-use data collection system that connects directly to TI graphing calculators.

"Students are easily bored with mindless repetition and memorization," said Tom Ferrio, business manager, Learning Tools. "Teachers we work with have found that hands-on activities can really engage students and create a stimulating learning environment that helps them make the connection between equations on a page and real-life applications.

"Motion is one of the easiest concepts for students to comprehend, with direct applications to mathematics and science," continued Ferrio. "Imagine observing a free-falling ball, or a student walking and using the results to teach concepts such as slope and intercept. CBR gives students the ability to measure this data quickly and precisely, then clearly link it to the classroom topic."

In the past, students might measure the motion of a falling object using a yard stick and stopwatch. Very few measurements can be obtained during this brief event, and the resulting data can be inaccurate and inconsistent from student to student. In contrast, CBR permits rapid collection of accurate data which can be instantly viewed. Teachers feel this real-time feedback is crucial to maintaining student interest.

"This is a much more efficient way of collecting data," said Jan Mosteller, science and math teacher at Brunswick School, Greenwich, Conn. "Students can change different variables and immediately see how the changes impact the graphed results. Now they can develop and test hypotheses in a matter of minutes and are truly able to apply the concepts to the variables during a single class period." Easy to Use An easy-to-use yet versatile program has been built-in to CBR so it is ready-to-use out of the box. Teachers can easily transfer the program to their TI-82, TI-83, TI-85, TI-86 or TI-92 calculator with the push of a button and begin sampling immediately. Automated plots include Distance-Time, Velocity-Time, and Acceleration-Time. Even younger students receive instant feedback using an interactive graphing activity that challenges students to match a randomly-generated plot by walking in front of CBR.

CBR offers flexibility to teachers who want to modify the settings in the built-in program, create programs of their own, or use favorite programs written for TI's Calculator-Based Laboratory™ (CBL™). Also, with optional cables, CBR can be used with TI's Calculator-Based Laboratory (CBL) and some Microcomputer-Based Lab (MBL) systems.

Using TI-GRAPH LINK™ and a compatible TI graphing calculator, CBR data can also be sent to a computer for use in spreadsheets, data analysis and word processing programs.

Other intelligent features of CBR include a pivoting sensor head that can be pointed toward the movement being measured and a clamp which allows CBR to be mounted to a table, door, or laboratory stand. CBR measures distance, velocity and acceleration, at up to 150 samples per second and from distances up to 20 feet (measured distance will affect the maximum sample rate). Visible and audible status indicators allow for easy status identification. Loan Programs Allow Trial Usage As part of a unique TI educator support programs that allows teachers to "test drive" products at no cost, CBR will be available through TI's Workshop Loan Program beginning in April (972-917-6411 U.S./416-250-5287 option 3 Canada).

"We're confident that teachers will quickly see the educational value of CBR if they try it in their classroom," said Ferrio, "so we're creating special loan packages of CBR, a TI-83 and a ViewScreen™ display panel so that teachers have all the tools they need to collect and graph data, and show the process to the class as it's being done. Students can analyze the results individually, in small groups or in a class discussion."

CBR will be accompanied by "Getting Started with CBR," a step-by-step instructional booklet to help teachers use the CBR easily and effectively. The booklet includes numerous classroom activities for different skill levels, with teacher instructions and reproducible student recording sheets.

CBR will also be featured in workshops offered in summer, 1997, by Teachers Teaching with Technology (T3). T3 provides training for educators who are interested in enhancing the teaching and learning of mathematics and science through appropriate use of handheld technology. For more information on T3 institutes, call 1-888-2-TCUBED (1-888-282-8233), send e-mail to t-cubed@ti.com or check the TI website at http://education.ti.com/us/training/main.html.