The earliest form of weighing scale relics was found in the Indus River valley, not far from Pakistan. The scales are approximately 4,000 years old and were used to access the value of gold and other materials that had an irregular shape. These scales had a plate at either side which was connected to an overhead beam. A stone was placed on one of the plates and the material that needed to be weighed was on the other plate to help judge the value of the material.
The way we measure weight, density, and volume has changed in recent times. Modern weighing scales allow us to get an accurate reading of whatever needs to be weighed. Some scales have built-in smart technology that helps us keep track of our weight.
Online Calculators
Personal calculators changed the world. However, nowadays very few people need to have calculators in their possession. Smartphones often have them installed, websites have scientific calculator graphics that users can use, and there are plenty of calculator applications.
A major advantage to using these online calculators is that they allow you to figure out calculations without having to know the formula. They will have the formula built into the calculator to make it simple to find out the result to what you need to have measured.
For example, if you want to find out the density of an object, you would have to understand the formula. Using an online density calculator you simply input the mass and the volume of the object into the fields on display on the website to calculate the result. Online calculators also help you calculate the following:
- BMI
- Ratio
- Calorie
- Mean, Median, Mode
- Fraction
- Trigonometry
Don’t worry, you don’t need to go to the attic and dig out your old school books to find out the formula due to these modern days online calculators.
Smart Scales
Smart scales have become very popular in recent times. These scales have lots more features than standard weighing scales. Many smart scales allow you to find out and keep track of the following measurements:
- Muscle mass
- Bone mass
- Hydration
- Weight
- Fat Mass
The scales connect with the user’s smartphone via WiFi or Bluetooth so the user can keep records of their body’s condition.
Many smart scales allow several users to input their measurements. This is a great feature, especially if somebody wants to keep an eye on everyone in their household’s weight and other measurements. For those who want to stay on top their body’s weight, a smart scale might prove to be a great purchase.
Apps for your Smartphone or Tablet
Google Apps and The Apple App store have a wide range of applications readily available to download to help you calculate measurements. Lots of apps will upload your results through a cloud to store your results so you don’t have to worry about losing them.
People often use these apps to help keep a log of their weight however you can find apps that will help you measure much more. There are apps available to measure pretty much anything nowadays such as:
- Measure the distance of an area using GPS. All you have to do is click on your starting point, turn on your GPS, and walk around the area you want to know the measurements of.
- A ruler app allows you to use your smartphone as a ruler. You can easily change the units into centimeters, millimeters, or inches. However, most smartphones are not that big in comparison to a normal-sized ruler, but it will prove useful when measuring a small area.
- You can download an app that can help you monitor your blood pressure. High blood pressure deaths are very common throughout the world. The app requires you to input your blood pressure and weight each day. It connects with other platforms like MyFitnessPal and Google Fit to help you easily find your records.
- There are step-counting apps also available that will tell you how many steps and what distance you have walked. Some do require that you have the GPS on your smartphone turned on, however, some don’t.
Some of these apps available on your smartphone or tablets are free, others require a small fee that you need to pay before you download the full version.
Summary
We have come a long way from the days of rulers, formulas, and weighing scales. Many believe that we are still in the stone age of technology so it is exciting to envision what the future has in store for us. With online calculators, apps, and smart devices, the way we measure things is certainly getting easier.