Investigating nonlinear dynamics in a mass-spring oscillator using real-time computer vision

A low-cost laboratory system uses a smartphone camera and real-time computer vision to track the motion of a vertical mass-spring oscillator. This system allows for the investigation of damped oscillations, period measurements, spectral analysis, and phase-space reconstruction. It also enables the study of nonlinear phenomena such as harmonic generation and energy exchange between coupled oscillation modes, making advanced topics accessible in undergraduate laboratories.