November 24, 2007
Reading for November 27th, are now posted. Enjoy!
October 2, 2007
To upload your thoughtless acts, create a new assignment page like any other lab. You'll see "Thoughtless Acts" listed as one of the assignment options.
May 24, 2008
This site has been archived and is no longer editable. Stay tuned for the next version, coming in the fall!
A considerable amount of research has been done in the domain of Tangible User Interfaces, a new approach to HCI which focuses on the physical interaction with computational media. However, it has been difficult to define what tangible user interfaces are, and come to a systematic understanding of possible approaches in designing and evaluating tangible user interfaces. This course will explore the theoretical framework of tangible user interfaces through a series of design examples to compare and contrast. Students will also design and develop experimental tangible user interfaces using physical computing prototyping tools.
The class meets 3 hours per week, 10:30am - 12:00 noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Additional lab hours (Mondays: 12:00-1:00pm and Tuesdays: 3:30-4:30pm) is provided for students to expand their basic lab exercises. On Tuesdays, there will be lectures and discussions based on our readings. On Thursdays, we will do hands-on physical computing exercises with Arduino prototyping boards and various sensors and actuators. There are no prerequisites for the class. While no experience working with electronics is required, basic knowledge in and willingness to learn programming is assumed.
Tuesday & Thursday 10:30-12:00
110 South Hall
Office Hours
Monday 12:00-1:00 & Tuesday 3:30-4:30
110 South Hall
Lab equipment will be available for use during office hours.
Physical Computing: Sensing and Controlling the Physical World with Computers by Tom Igoe and Dan O'Sullivan (2004). The book is available at the campus book store or online at Amazon.
The Thursday curriculum, lab assignments, and homework are based on individual hands-on exercises with Arduino boards and electronic components. Therefore, it is necessary for each individual student to have his/her own lab kit. The lab kit will be available for purchase in class for $75.00. For a list of the components in the lab kit, click here.
