This app lets you run experiments using your smartphone's sensors

How fast is this lift moving? Can I measure the Doppler effect? The Phyphox app lets you use your phone's sensors to track things like acceleration, magnetic fields, light and sound. — Florian Schuh/dpa

Motion sensor, GPS sensor, magnetic compass, pedometer, brightness sensor and more: Your smartphone is packed with sensor technology that apps can access when needed.

Usually, though, users remain in the dark about what the sensors can do together with the phone's built-in cameras, loudspeakers, microphones and wireless interfaces.