Physical Computing
Syllabus/ Schedule
Increasingly we find computational capabilities embedded in our built environments. Design of computationally
enhanced objects and places is an attractive and motivating activity that requires multidisciplinary learning
and cooperation: it attracts artists, musicians, and architects as well as computer scientists and engineers.
Our Physical Computing class gives students freedom to explore a topic in a collaborative multidisciplinary
environment while designing and building computationally enhanced objects and spaces.
Students enrolled in this course will be expected to work in teams to design and build a project that explores
the ideas and technology that fall into the realm of physical computing. Contribution to the team project, the
class discussions, and project reviews are essential. Each student will maintain an online journal that details
their ideas and the evolution of their project. A final presentation will be scheduled after which final
documentation of the project will be compiled and submitted. The class will meet twice a week to discuss projects,
explore new topics, and review progress.
Credit/NoCredit grades will be based on:
Week 1
- Introduction
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What is Physical Computing? This session introduces physical computing through the
projects from previous quarters and other related work.
Readings: IEEE Spectrum's Electronic Realism,
- Microcomputers and Programming
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Discuss Readings. Introduce microcomputers and programming by using the HandyBoards
and Interactive C to complete a set of exercises.
Assignment: Use one of the example programs from the exercises as a foundation
and edit it to perform a new function.
Week 2
- Collaboration and Design
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Discuss collaboration and the importance of an open platform for discussion.
Team selection and building exercises that focus on the design process.
- Sensors and Actuators
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Introduce various sensor and actuator technologies. Break into groups and use
hands-on exercises as a means of understanding them.
Readings: Experience Design
Resources: HandyBoard MX
Code Snippets
Week 3
- Electronics
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Introduce fundamentals of electricity (ohm's law, resistors in series and parallel...)
and perform experiments that reinforce the ideas. Discuss readings
- Mechanical Movement
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Introduce levers, cams, and gears as a means of creating movement followed by
an exercise in automata making.
Resources: Web Sites - Cabaret Mechanical Theatre, Flying Pig
Books - "Cabaret Mechanical Movement",
"Amazing Machines" and other titles of interest.
Week 4
- Ideas
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Team brainstorm of ideas for the project concluding in a 2 sentence idea.
Assignment: Develop your idea using drawings, models, and images.
- Presentation / Defining a Narrative
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Presentation and critique of team ideas.
Assignment: Create a one page narrative that highlights key elements of the
project and that will act as your design program .
Week 5
- Materials / Construction/ Design
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Discuss the use of materials and construction techniques as a means of enhancing design
Assignment: Design and Build your final project
- Beginning the Project
- Work/ group discussion time for project development
Week 6
- Presentation
- Presentation and discussion of the projects
- Design Development
- Refine ideas based on presentation discussions, and begin to build mock-ups of pieces
Week 7
- Progress report
- What has been accomplished and what will be accomplished this week.
- Work
- Work on projects
Week 8
- Progress report
- What has been accomplished and what will be accomplished this week.
- Work
- Work on projects
Week 9
- Progress report
- What has been accomplished and what will be accomplished this week.
- Work
- Work on projects
Week 10
- Presentation / Open house
- Date and time to be announced.
Week 11
- Project Documentation and Review
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Meet and discuss the class and the projects. A moment of reflection. What worked,
and what didn't work? How did people respond to the projects? Did the visitors give
any interesting feedback? If given more time, how would the projects change?
- Final documentation due
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Final documentation due and space cleaned up and organized for next quarter.
Guidelines for the final documentation
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