App of the Month: SpectraSnapp

APP NAME: SpectraSnapp

OFFERED BY: APS – American Physical Society

PLATFORMS: iPhone (optimized for iPhone 5), iPad, iPod touch. Requires iOS 4.3 or later.

WHAT IT DOES: The SpectraSnapp app is designed to turn an iPhone into a handheld spectroscope. According to the company, the app provides instructions for users to build an add-on over the iPhone’s camera and point it at anything that glows; the app then breaks apart the incoming light into its separate wavelengths. The app reportedly includes a comparison tool that can be used to match a spectra sample to a library of common sources to determine the light source.

COST: Free