Thank you for the thoughtful post. I have to say I am bothered by how grade inflation is so often used as a metric for academic rigor. I am not sure it directly reflects the degree to which students are actually challenged in the classroom.

I would think someone skilled (and patient) with ImageJ could do it.

gradingforgrowth.com; They have also just published a book: a.co/d/bCnWGt4

Definitely advocate a systems-based approach. If your dept. is still requiring a textbook steeped in "work-energy" content, I see an opportunity to design lab activities where experiments reveal limits of validity. First thought: rolling a cart with wheels of non-negligible mass.