The use of an infrared sensor as a new alternative to measure position as a function of time in
kinematic experiments was investigated using a microcontroller as the data acquisition and control
device. These are versatile sensors that offer advantages over typical ultrasound devices. The setup
described in this paper enables students to develop their own experiments, promoting opportunities
for learning physical concepts such as the different types of forces that can act on a body
(gravitational, elastic, drag, etc) and the resulting types of movements with good sensitivity
within the 4–30 cm range. As a proof of concept we also present the application of a prototype
designed to record the kinematics of mass-spring systems.