Lecturers:

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The course runs from 12.11.24 - 20.12.24, from 9.00 - 17.00. See Timetable for more detailed hours.

PROPOSED UPDATES BY J.RECK

THIS COLOR WAS CURRENT VERSION - THIS COLOR IS PROPOSED VERSION

Overview and Objectives

Our body is our interface with others: humans, non-humans, nature, infrastructure, machines.... We interact with the world through our senses, our mind, our limbs, our movements, our emotions.... We constantly leave traces, visible or invisible, conscious or unconscious... In turn, the world around us impacts our selves, shapes our perceptions; technology transforms our physicality, provides body extensions; materials mediate our experiences, etc. 

And yet, the body is not often addressed as a primary factor in designing interactive experiences. This course proposes in turn to put the physical body at the center point of our ideation - in a literal way, by designing on it, with it, for it, because of it. 
What if we could design a body extension and a movement that reveals some of these interactions and that alters the physical world? 

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In parallel, we now face a convergence of tools and processes that dramatically facilitate an even greater tangible interaction between bits & atoms, giving us access to shape interfaces between the analog/physical and the digital/programmed: interactive modes of digital fabrication, data-tracking, sensors, physical computing, generative design, AI-driven outputs, biodesign, material affordances...we thus have the opportunity to investigate ways that we can transform our physical selves and environments. 
*And as materials and data that are used in interaction design become more easily entangled with our visions, we also ask questions of extraction, and human and environmental impacts.

By group work (2-4 students max), you'll propose interactive forms of body extension/representation/mirror/sense.

During this module, we’ll explore the analog-digital interface with the body as the mediator and examine technology’s impact on bodily perception, movement, and awareness. Through group work (2-4 students max), you’ll propose interactive forms of body extension, representation, mirroring, or sensing, with attention to what narratives your design choices create.

The course is divided into 6 weeks:

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• In-class Exercises, Performances & Weekly progress reviews (bring iterated prototype/sketches/experiments for each mentoring)
  
  
• Mid-Class Delivery: PDF showcasing concept, prototype & inspirations
  PDF featuring texts and visuals: Overall Concept, Main directions, Inspirations/Related Work (references, authors, dates, visuals), Material inquiries, and Prototype 
  
  
• Final Project: Interactive embodied fabricated apparatus
  

  FInal version of your work iterated on for several weeks. Use Data-Collection, Generative Design Methods and Digital Fabrication to create an interactive body apparatus (wearable, fashion item, prosthesis, orthesis, prosthetics, implant, extension, external apparatus, architecture, etc).
  

  In groups of 2-4 students 

• Final Presentation & Performance: Students present with their group an Exhibition of Experiments & Performance with Final Prototypes together with an oral presentation.

  Presentation on: 19.12.24
  
  

• Documentation 
  
  
  •  A 'Journal' is developed by each group of students that reflects on experiments and learnings from the course. It should be in the form of an online blog (ie. WordPress, Tumblr or other):
    • The journal should be structured in a generally comprehensible manner
    • The lecture notes, including annotations, are stored
    • Notes, sketches for each lesson should be included as well
      
      
  • Final Documentation per usual guidelines: title, authors, abstract, hi-res pics, PDF with commentary text, video documentation (see Wiki)

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