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Lecturers: Luke Franzke & Florian Bruggisser

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The course takes place in two separate blocks: Physical Computing Basics in the first two weeks and the Main Project in the last two weeks. Int the first In the first block, students will work individually through the introductory topics, while the Main Project is in groups of two to three students. 

Topic 2019: Empathetic Machines: 

Topic 2019: Empathetic Machines:

Can interactions between human and machine be more powerful if we can empathise with the device because of it's a human-like behaviour? We are social animals, and a large portion of our brain is dedicated to social tasks, from recognising emotions to predicting the thoughts and intentions of people around us. It, therefore, makes sense that we utilise these capabilities when designing interactions. 

But how might everyday interactive devices be improved by anthropomorphic characteristics? Would we be more likely to partake in sustainable consumption of electronics if devices were more sympathetic? This year's Physical Computing project will attempt to answer some of these questions, while physically prototyping interactive devices with empathetic qualities and anthropomorphic behaviours. Will will focus on the use of simple sensors and electromechanical outputs to achieve these results. 

There have been numerous attempts to make humanoid robots (both in fiction and reality), which inevitably lead to the uncanny valley phenomena. Yet, distinctly non-human forms can be highly evocative of human qualities. Simple geometric forms can convey agency and complex behaviours through motion alone (Heider and Simmel 1944). For this reason, we will focus on human-like behaviour being conveyed through motion, rather than form.

Topics Readings:

https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=2980481

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23547395_Is_That_Car_Smiling_at_Me_Schema_Congruity_as_a_Basis_for_Evaluating_Anthropomorphized_Products

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.60.297&rep=rep1&type=pdf

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=812787

https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/humanities/sociology/in-search-of-the-new-human-machine-empathy/

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-23832-6_15

Personal Material

Please bring your personal computer to all classes. If you have a newer MacBook with USB C, bring an adapter to work with standard USB cables. A personal notebook is also recommended. 

Expectations and Grading

Grades will be based on group presentations, class participation, home assignments, documentation and final work. An attendance of min. 80% is required to pass the course.

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  1. Workbook documentation of all exercises and minor projects from weeks 1 and 2.
  2. Document every circuit you built (or attempted to build) with a photo. Include your code when appropriate, a drawn schematic of each circuit and include notes/observations.  
  3. Presentation of Minor Project.

Group Work (60%)

  1. Final Prototype of Object
  2. Final Presentation
  3. Standard IAD Documentation 
    • Video (Making of, Final Prototype)
    • Image selection
    • Short Documentation (PDF)

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  • 5 minutes for presentation, and 5 minutes for feedback and discussion
  • Live demonstration of your project 
  • Explain
  • Show the process
  • and the thinking
  • that brought you to this outcome 
  • Live demonstration of your project 

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  1. Introductory Lecture 
  2. Project Briefs 2019
  3. Project box 2020
  4. Exercises

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  1. Physical Computing Resources
  2. Physical Computing Lab - Sensors

Topic 2019: Empathetic Machines: 

Can interactions between human and machines be more effective if we can empathise with the device because of it's anthropomorphic behaviour? Can such devices, in turn, empathise with us? We are social animals, and a large portion of our brain is dedicated to social tasks, from recognising emotions to predicting the thoughts and intentions of other humans and creatures. It, therefore, makes sense that we utilise these capabilities when designing interactions. 
But how might everyday interactive devices be improved by anthropomorphic characteristics? Would we be more likely to partake in sustainable consumption of electronics if devices were more sympathetic? This year's Physical Computing project will attempt to answer some of these questions while drawing inspiration from robotics to physically prototype interactive devices with empathetic qualities and anthropomorphic behaviours. 

Distinctly non-human forms can be highly evocative of human qualities, and basic geometric forms can convey agency and complex behaviours through motion alone (Heider and Simmel 1944). For this reason, we will focus on primitive forms with expressive behaviour through motion, using simple electromechanical actuators, in combination with sensors and microcontrollers. 

2019 Topics Readings

Schedule

Morning: 09:00 - 12:00,  Afternoon: 13:30 - 17:00

W1

Tuesday 17.09 (4.K15)

Wednesday 18.09 (4.K15)

Thursday 19.09 (4.K15)

Friday 20.09 (4.K15)

Morning


Resistors, Ohms Law, Basic Units  LED's, Power, Multimeter

(LF FB)

References:

Getting Started with Arduino 3rd Edition: p.37-40

Make: Electronics 2nd edition: p.1-40

Electronic Basics (sparkfun)

Voltage Divider

  • Digital Components
  • Digital Interfaces
  • I2C (de), SPI, UART
  • Neo Pixel
,
  • Ultra Sonic Distance Sensor
    (FB)

Afternoon


,
  • Debouncing

(LF FB)

  • Parallel/Series Circuits
, Capacitors, Schematics,
  • Capacitors
  • Soldering
    (LF)
  • ICs, datasheets
,

(FB)

Soldering

  • Minor Project Start 
  • Repetition Time

(14:00 Student Essay Feedback with Martin and Joëlle Individual) 

(LF, FB)

W2

Tuesday 24.09 (4.K15)

Wednesday 25.09 (4.K15)

Thursday 26.09 (4.K15)

Friday 27.09 (4.K15)

Morning


  • Neo Pixels

Protoboards

EAGLE CAD

(LF)

Networking

(FB)

Individual Minor Project

Individual Minor Project

Afternoon


PCB Milling

(LF)
Individual Minor Project


Individual Minor Project

Individual Minor Project

Presentation, cleanup Prototyping

13:30 Presentation.

14:30 Cleanup and documentation

W3


Wednesday 23.10 (5.D02)

Thursday 24.10 (5.D02)

Friday 25.10 (5.D02)

Morning 



Main Project Kickoff

Robotics input (LF)

Main Project Ideation 


Computer Vision Input 

(FB)

Prototyping Design Concept
Afternoon

Robotics input

Ideation and Prototyping

Prototyping


13:30. Guest Lecture: James Bern from ETH Computational Robotics Lab  (5.T09)

15:00 Topic Presentation 


Soldering 2 (LF) 

EAGLE CAD & PCB Milling (LF)


13:30 Mentoring  (LF & FB)

16:30. Guest Lecture: Maria Smigielska (5.T04)

W4

Tuesday 29.10 (

5.D02

Atelier)

Wednesday 30.10 (

5.D02

Atelier)

Thursday 31.10 (

5.D02

Atelier)

Friday 01.11 (

5.D02

Atelier)

Morning 


Prototyping / Mentoring (LF)

Prototyping 

Final Build

Final Build

Afternoon


Prototyping /

Mentoring

Mentoring (LF)

Meeting Jürgen and Karmen 14:00 - 15:00 (5.D02). 

Prototyping / Mentoring

Final Build

Final Build


W5Tuesday 05.11



MorningSetup Final Presentation  (4k.15)


Afternoon

Final Presentation

12:00 - 13:00 

14:30  (4k.15)

Documentation and feedback

13

15:

30

15 - 17:00