Tuesday10-
3 pm
Brown
Center 206
Contact:
jrouvelle@mica.edu
Office:
Brown Center, room 211, phone (in office).
Office
hours: by appointment
...interactivity
can be freely defined as a reciprocal relationship between two systems through
an interface, the systems can be human and/or machine.
Interaction
design, on a basic level, is about making state changes between participating
systems explicit to both systems - human or otherwise.
The works selected "embody concepts
which are important to cybernetics, such as feedback, communication, causality, information, observation,
predictability and equilibrium.
Course
Description
...Tinkering 101...
We
will use the Arduino Microcontroller as our platform
to build interactive projects with electronics.
Your
Final Projects will be presented at RoboFest '09 at
the Historical Electronics Museum in Linthicum on Saturday, April 25th, between
10am-3pm. This event is mandatory. The director of the Festival will visit the
class several times during the semester.
Evaluation:
Grades in this course will be based on
regular class attendance, the quality of your work, class participation, and
progress. Tardiness and excessive
absences will adversely affect your grade. Participation in discussions and critiques is mandatory.
Projects & Grading:
You will be asked to do assignments
throughout the semester. Most of
the assignments will be presented in class and will be designed to stimulate
group conversation.
***We will not have a final exam during finals
week***
Students will be
graded by letter, A-F, on all evaluated work. Work must be completed on time and in full satisfaction of
each project goal. Late work
(assignments handed in or posted after the start of in-class critique sessions)
will be automatically downgraded by one letter grade. In addition to in class exercises, you will complete four
projects.
A
|
Well
above the expectations of the course.
Outstanding participation, attendance, and exceptional progress. |
B |
Above
average assignments and participation. No more than one absence. |
C |
Average
execution of assignments, participation, and no more than two absences. |
D |
Well
below average: work, attendance (two absences), projects, and participation. |
F |
Unsatisfactory:
work, attendance (more than two absences), projects, and participation |
Attendance:
Two
or more unexcused absences from class may result in failure. Two unexcused late arrivals, or early departures will be
marked as the equivalent of one absence.
Absence from a class is not an excuse for skipping a tutorial, reading
assignment, or posting an assignment.
You are fully responsible for completing work.
Readings:
The majority of our reading will be of a
technical nature specifically related to our projects, and will be digital.
Materials:
You will be expected to purchase components as needed for
your projects. These components will include an Arduino-USB micro-controller, for $34.95. Please budget
an additional $50 for parts over the course of the semester. We will provide
you will many additional components at no charge.
Supplies:
Please bring to each class a storage
media of your choice. I recommend
a jump drive from the bookstore, in lieu of this, an ipod,
or server space, or 1-2 CD-R(s) – Recordable Compact Discs (700 MB) will
suffice. You’ll probably go through many of them, for both this and other
digital classes. You might also
want to bring in a sharpie to label your CD’s.
It is essential that all work done in
class be saved to either your jump drive, CD-R, server space, ipod, etc… at the conclusion of class. There will be many, many other students
using these computers and anything saved on them will be permanently removed
shortly after the conclusion of class.
Food and Drink in the Computer
Labs:
No.
ADA COMPLIANCE:
In MICA's efforts to provide the highest possible quality
educational experience for every student, MICA maintains compliance with the
requirements of the ADA and Section 504. Any student who has, or suspects he or
she may have, a disability and wants to request academic accommodations must
contact Dr. Kathryn Smith at the Learning Resource Center, 443 695-1384 or
email at ksmith@mica.edu immediately.
MICA has developed policies and practices to ensure a healthful
environment
and safe approaches to the use of equipment, materials, and
processes. It is
the mutual responsibility of faculty and students to review health
and
safety standards relevant to each class at the beginning of each
semester.
Students should be aware of general fire, health, and safety regulations
posted in each area and course specific polices, practices, and
cautions.
Students who have concerns related to health and safety should
contact
Quentin Moseley, Environment Health and Safety Coordinator at 410
225 0220
or email at qmoseley@mica.edu
Online
Resources:
Electronic Art,
Artists, and Projects List
Weekly
Schedule
***Class will be dismissed
today at 11:30 so that you can get a seat to watch the Inauguration.
Introduction
to course and lab.
Please
send an email with the account you want us to use to both me (jrouvelle@mica.edu, and sam: jss@problemboard.com). We will set up a group this week and
invite you.
Sam
Sheffield and Julie Benoit will be working with us, and will be here to help
you. If you have technical and/or
lab questions that come up during the week and you feel you would like to sit
down with sam to go over some things send him and
email and make an appointment: jss@problemboard.com
Preamble:
Building
circuits requires patience, attention to detail, and a willingness to follow
directions. During the first few weeks of class we ask that you take your time
and build the circuits we present to you, rather than develop your own projects
during class. You will have plenty of time for inventing your own
things and will benefit greatly from acquiring certain fundamental
skills that will be covered over the first weeks of the semester.
Our methods:
and so on….
Related,
local activities and organizations.
Useful websites:
We will
be making extensive use of the Arduino website, it is excellent, please visit it
regularly and search through it when you get stuck.
This is
where we'll start >>
Overview
of projects, weeks 1-4:
Due Week 5!! Wisconsin Card Sort project:
using different combinations of input and output with variables – use a
variable to increment how many tries a person has made, then change the logic
of the interaction. We'll discuss this in class as we go.
After this 1/3 term project I
will show you different output devices, and a few additional input devices. The
class will then become mostly supervised studio time for you to work on your
own inventions.
Important dates (there will be additions to this list):
Assignment for Next
week: Bring
your Arduino to class, so please buy one NOW. If you have a
problem receiving packages in your apartment or dorm LET ME KNOW (you can have it
sent to my place, if you wish).
Two Options for buying an Arduino>>
***We’ve
had bad luck getting things sent to the Mica Mailroom – try to avoid this
if possible (see above).
AND:
______________________________________
Week
2
No
class….
______________________________________
Week
3
Getting
Started with the Arduino,
visit from Gary Mauler of RobotFest ‘09
Today
we’re going to put your kits together, and begin programming.
We’ll
do the projects linked below today, in class.
The
Goal is to understand the Button circuit, variables, and conditional logic (“if
(x=4) etc…) in the arduino programming language.
Assignment: write one script.
·
Three buttons, three LEDs:
o
If both buttons are pressed, LED 1 is on
o
If
only one button is pressed, LED 2 is on
o
If
no buttons are pressed, LED 3 is on
§ HINT: USE the logic operators
‘&&’ (AND), ‘||’ (OR)
_____________________________________
Week
4
A switch, after all,
is just a connection made or broken between power and ground.
When you begin to
think about it that way, the "what is a switch" experience goes
beyond a simple electronics lesson. What happens when you take the switch away
from the wall, out of the plastic casing?
What kind of
interactions can you create when you start experimenting with other materials,
quick prototypes of your concepts, and new ways of connecting?
Today we’ll work with Analog inputs:
·
Photocell, Bend Sensor (use
potentiometer script with circuit for photocell/bend sensor)
Take a look at these .pdf files for code, schematics and projects using digital and analog inputs.
Assignment:
Using this script for three buttons (three digital inputs), adapt it so that you have a combination of digital and analog inputs. With the Tellart video above in mind, make a custom switch.
____________________________________
Week 5
Counters,
Lie Detectors, Servo Motors, and Sound.
But first, **Use a 1 Meg resistor to increase the sensitivity of the knock sensor.
Counter/Three button input example
Lie Detector: let’s make this analog sensor and get to know each other better… with just two transistors, and some spare change.
Output:
· Servo Motors:
o
Servo motor control w/ analog
input
· Sound:
o
A multiphonic
Synthesizer, really?
Assignment: Use a combination of digital/binary, and analog inputs, with LED/Servo/Sound output, and a counter to make an interactive project.
Week 6
Sounds
· A really simple way to use PWM to make noise with an analog sensor.
· A simple (really?) monophonic audio synth based on the arduino.
o Note
use of hacked toy keyboard as button input – can you use the
button/switches you made?
·
Discussion
thread with improved filter schematics (scroll down)
Assignment:
Project #1
· Using a combination of Analog and Digital Inputs and outputs, and a counter, create a modest, working project.
·
Next week each of you will present your
projects to the class.
Week 7
· Your projects
Week 8
**Please start
thinking about final projects!**
·
Using the Arduino with the Parallax RFID
reader
·
Relays
·
Transistor
to toggle multiple LEDs
o The transistor at the bottom works like a switch, when the Arduino pin is high is turns on the transistor and lets the light shine.
o Transistor Info Page,
pin diagrams, etc.
o
More Transistor info, check
out the animations!
o Tri-color LEDs
o Hacking rf (radio frequency) toys
Assignment:
Hack a toy:
1. Find a battery powered toy/instrument/gizmo at a thrift store, etc.
2.
Make sure that it works.
3. Carefully open it up and determine what wire controls what part of the device.
4. Carefully insert a few relays or transistors to allow the Arduino to control at least two aspects of the toy.
5. Connect one digital, and one analog input to the Arduino, and have each input control a different relay/transistor on the hacked device.
***if you use a transistor remember that the arduino and the device you are controlling MUST share a ground connection.
Week 9
We have five classes until Robotfest!
In two weeks we will
have a crit/presentation where you will all present
your final projects in-progress.
Please use today and next week as intensive studio/work classes to clarify for yourselves as well as me, sam, and julie:
· What your project will be.
·
What you will need to build it.
·
How to make it do what you want it to
do.
·
What the piece will require on site
(THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT).
·
How you will transport/install/maintain
the piece on site.
·
How you will title/label/describe the
piece on site.
·
How you will document the piece.
You must be able to answer all of the above questions, in addition to
present a working, early version of the piece, by the presentation in two
weeks.
Week 10
Next week you will
present your final project as a work in progress.
This week we will
work in class on your final projects.
As mentioned last
week:
Please use today as an intensive studio/work class to clarify for your self, as well as me, sam, and julie:
· What your project will be.
·
What you will need to build it.
·
How to make it do what you want it to
do.
·
What the piece will require on site
(THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT).
·
How you will transport/install/maintain
the piece on site.
·
How you will title/label/describe the
piece on site.
·
How you will document the piece.
Also, we must be cleaned out of this
room by 2:45 today because someone is giving a lecture in here at 3pm and needs
time to setup!
Reminder: we won’t have class the Tuesday after Robotfest (April 28).
Our final class will be May 5th, and during that class we will have a final crit and view all of your documentation (2 minute video with voice over shot at Robotfest).
Week 11
Presentation/class visit from Gary Mauler.
Week 12
Two classes,
including this one, before RobotFest!
Today we’ll work on
final projects.
Please let us know
your space and tech requirements.
We need to be there
by 9am (sorry…). The Historical Electronics
Museum in Linthicum takes about 20 minutes to get to. We’ll be done and out
of there by 3pm, then no class the next Tuesday.
Let’s talk about how
we’re all getting there.
There are a lot of exhibitors, so space will
be tight while we’re all setting up.
·
Please
plan ahead and only bring what you absolutely need into the space.
·
If you
need to do some pre-assembly in the parking lot that’s fine, but bringing a lot
of loose materials and equipment into the museum will cause problems for other
presenters.
Let’s talk about how
to document your projects.
Assignment:
·
Title
your work and write a one paragraph description.
·
We’ll
need to print our own descriptions and bring them with us on the 25th, we’ll talk in class today about the look of our
printed material.
Week 13
Robotfest is this Saturday, April 25th,
between 9am-3pm.
In order to arrive by
9am, you must leave campus by 8:30am…
Please, please,
please pre-assemble as much of your work as possible before entering RobotFest – it will be crowded and hectic inside,
making a work area for yourself (aka a mess) will cause problems for other
people.
Today we need to:
·
Make sure
your piece is working…
·
Define your
travel arrangements, exchange phone numbers if necessary, get directions, etc.
·
Write up
a one paragraph description of your project that you
must print and bring with you.
·
Tell me
what tech (laptop, monitor, etc.) you need
·
Plan how
to document your project.
o ***remember that a
2 minute documentation of your work is required and is part of your grade, it
is due the last day of class, May 5.
