TopSpin Android App
Measure the spin, not just the time.
TopSpin turns a phone into a compact testing tool for precision spinning tops, reading vibration data to estimate RPM, spin decay, and stability across a full run.
Available for testing on Google Play
TopSpin is now available through Google Play testing. Join the test first, then open the Play Store listing on your Android device to install the app.
Important: use the same Google account for both steps. If your phone is using a different account, Google Play may show the app as unavailable or the link may appear broken.
A testing app for people who care about the details.
Spin time is only one part of performance. A well-made top should hold centre calmly, run with low vibration, and lose speed smoothly. TopSpin helps turn those small differences into readable data.
RPM
Track live speed using the vibration signature created while the top is running.
Spin decay
Study how cleanly a top loses speed and where the run begins to change behaviour.
Vibration
Compare flutter, wobble, and surface behaviour between different tops and setups.
Consistency
Use repeatable launches and saved results to separate good tops from great ones.
Simple physical setup
The phone is isolated from bench vibration, the top spins on a small surface above the screen, and the app listens for the vibration pattern across the run.
Phone, foam, brass ring, and glass disc
Place the phone flat on soft foam or another vibration-dampening support. Put the brass ring on the screen, place the glass disc inside the ring, then spin the top on the glass surface.
Real workshop test setup
The real setup uses a phone on foam, a glass disc on the screen, and the top running on the glass. The brass ring helps frame the test area and makes positioning repeatable.
- Prepare the phone Set it flat, level, and supported on foam or another soft isolation layer.
- Place the glass disc Set the glass disc inside the brass ring so the top spins on glass, not directly on the phone screen.
- Compare the run Use the RPM, vibration, and decay behaviour to compare different tops or setup changes.
Test photos and app snapshots
These images show the real phone setup and the TopSpin interface during a run. They are useful for explaining how the physical test arrangement connects to the live RPM, vibration, and decay data.
Live run dashboard
TopSpin combines RPM, elapsed time, decay, vibration, material notes, and calculated values into one screen.
End-of-run comparison
Later in the run, changes in RPM and vibration help show how the top behaves as it slows down.
Useful testing notes
The best results come from treating the setup like a small measuring instrument. Keep the app open, reduce outside vibration, and use a smooth, consistent launch.
Repeatable starts
A consistent launch makes comparisons more useful than one-off spin time records.
High-speed footage
Video can help match visible wobble or precession with changes in the recorded signal.
Clean sensor data
Keep the phone steady and avoid bumping the bench during a run so the vibration graph stays meaningful.
TopSpin questions
A quick guide for Android users, spinning top collectors, and makers who want to test spin time, RPM behaviour, vibration, and repeatability.
Is TopSpin on Google Play?
Yes. TopSpin is available through Google Play testing. Join the test first, then open the Play Store listing to install it on Android.
What does TopSpin measure?
TopSpin helps time spins, estimate RPM, view vibration behaviour, track spin decay, and compare different tops or surfaces.
Do I need special hardware?
The basic setup uses an Android phone on soft isolation, a brass ring, and a glass disc so the top spins above the screen rather than directly on it.
Explore the workshop behind the app
TopSpin sits beside the physical side of Desire3D: machined tops, material testing, sensor experiments, and practical workshop development.
The science of sensing
How phone sensors can read vibration and reveal behaviour during a spin.
Read the scienceSpinning tops
Balance, materials, surface contact, and the long history of tops as precision objects.
Learn about topsGallery
Photos and videos of finished tops, machining, testing, and workshop experiments.
View the galleryLegacy projects
Older engineering projects, RepRap work, electronics, robotics, windmills, and more.
Browse the archivePrecision tops, measured properly.
TopSpin is part of the same workshop process as the tops themselves: design, machine, test, adjust, and keep improving.