participation 10 pt.

The following participation assignments and tasks are weighted to total up to 5% of the overall grade. Your participation in the class: labs, quizzes, demonstrations, discussions, or any other events or small assignments (that are not Weekly Report or Reading Responses) that we do during the semester.

setup blog (one-time assignment)

Students will maintain a blog as a sketchbook and public portfolio for the work.

• Make a new blog, independent of previous courses or any concurrent courses.
• Login to your UWF mail account, navigate to the BLOGGER link, and start a blog exclusively for the materials in this course.
• You may name the blog whatever you wish
• you must use the Simple Template (you may customize colors, backgrounds, etc.)
• email the link to the instructor
• example: https://vimeo.com/179772354

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set up Google Drive shared folder(one-time assignment)

This semester I would like you to turn in certain materials using Google Drive. You will log-in to your account and set up a shared folder with me.

• Create a new shared folder in Google Drive.
• Name with these conventions: lastnamefirstinitial _4633_sp19
  e.g. Joe Smith will make a folder named smithj _4633_sp19
• Share this folder with instructor. tasmuth@uwf.edu, please set to my permissions to 'can edit'
• Use the message option to notify instructor that the folder is up.
• Still confused on how to share? See this video

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reading responses, short response essays(recurring)

Throughout the semester you will be assigned to read and then write response essays from 300 to 1000 words (referred to as Read and Respond). Learning to communicate effectively and fluently are key skills in Arts Professions; writing statements, applications, critiques, project proposals, etc. are all examples of this skill that you will need during your career.

Academic Honesty: all compositions are to be works of original authorship with proper attribution. Students who simply summarize the reading or present texts from other authors will not receive credit for the entry; and such works are likely to be plagiarism. Plagiarism will be dealt with according to University policies and can lead to Expulsion per UWF conduct regulations . If you need guidance/education on proper academic techniques, please contact your instructor for a referral to the Writing Lab.

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attendance at critiques (recurring)

Critique attendance is mandatory. Students who fail to attend and participate in formal community reviews/critiques will receive a zero grade for the project. If you are seeking an emergency exception, please consult the Excused Absences section in this syllabus.

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posting files as requested (recurring)

You will be making posts in a blog and uploading files to your shared Google Drive folder. You will be graded on the details and performance to follow instructions. Failure to follow the directions can result in a reduced or zero grade. The list of important details includes but is not limited to: deadlines, correct format (file type, size, resolution, etc.), failure to make separate posts, posting to the incorrect platform (Drive vs. Blog), etc.

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artist presentation

Students will give a 10-15 minute presentation in class on an artist or collaborative group working with Physical Computing genres.

Process:

Students are assigned to do preliminary research on the list of artists below. Make a list of your top 5 artists you would like to do further research into. The due date for your list of 5 is due on week 09.

Students will be assigned an artist in class by the instructor on week 09. In a random order students will be asked to name their top choice. Please be prepared with the list of 5 names, if your top choice has already been selected.

Students will prepare a presentation that thoroughly investigates one or many works of the assigned artist. The assignment is to do an introduction and describe the major theoretical and formal aspects of the art/artists.

The presentation should focus on the artwork that is focused on physical computing, human-machine interface, device art, etc. Any work solely in other genres (painting, sculpture, musical recordings) can be mentioned but used as a supplementary reference at most.

Presentations will be done as a sideshow in class; use Google Slides. Presentations will be held in class on the due date.

Requirements:

Public presentation. The total of all time-based media is limited to 4 minutes.

Thorough investigation of the artists and projects covered in the presentation. Interpretation and discussion of the formal, process, and theory in regards to the artists/artworks.

Deliverables:

Students are required to compile the presentation as a PDF. Notes and writings on the slides should be included in the PDF.  PDF is to be posted into the Google Drive Folder. Links to presentation and PDF should be posted on the student blog. Extra points for a funny hat that you print yourself.

Due dates
The due date for your list of 5 is due on week 09.
The due date for the presentation week 11.

1. Leah Buechley
2. Jim Campbell
3. Beatriz da Costa
4. Elizabeth Demaray
5. Arthur Elsenaar and Remko Scha
6. Peter Foucault
7. Tyler Fox
8. Matt Heckert
9. Natalie Jeremijenko
10. Cy Keener
11. Shona Kitchen
12. Rafael Lozano-Hemmer
13. Maywa Denki
14. Claudia O'Steen
15. Neri Oxman
16. Tristan Perich
17. Alan Rath
18. Ken Rinaldo
19. Tristan Shone
20. Martin Spanjaard
21. Stelarc
22. Eric Sui
23. Survival Research Labs
24. Camille Utterback
25. Peter Vogel
26. Markus Vogl and Margarita Benitez
27. Jiayi Young
28. Marina Zurkow

 

Project 01 ExtraSensory Perception Appliance

"...all technologies are extensions of our physical and nervous systems…" (McLuhan 1964).

tl;dr: Students will design an appliance that increases or extends their sensory perception using the Arduino, sensors, code, etc. PDF of Project

This is an investigation of the concepts that dovetail with the ideas of tools and technologies as an extension of the human. Marshall McLuhan's Understanding Media is a seminal work of theory underpinning many contemporary hegemonic concepts. Were ideas like the Google Glass, geo-fencing, and Skype an obvious/natural progression of the Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) that blossomed in the mid-Twentieth Century? Or is there more at play in the realm of assumptions, fashion, and science fictions.

Students are allowed to work individually or collaboratively in a team of two to develop a system of human-machine interface that adds extra-sensory perception. Projects must:

1. be built upon the Arduino microcontroller ecosystem (your choice of the board)
2. include one or more sensors
3. deliver output for the user of the system which extends their sensory perception.

Learning Outcomes

• will be able to perform critical research into HMI;
• will be able to identify similar projects in technology, read a diagram, fabricate electronics;
• will be able to effectively communicate a coherent narrative on a proposed design in written, image, and physical prototype;
• and present a polished professional product at the deadline

Process

Research phase

• Readings and other media will be assigned to assist in the development of a critical framework thinking about the extension of our senses. Reading/Media Responses will be assigned to reflect on the topics.
• Students research and document three (3) different projects that seek to extend human sensory perception. Document each of these projects with a descriptive and observational paragraph, links, attributions, embedded videos/audio/etc.
• Students will begin a series of workshops to practice the skills of basic electronics.
• Students will begin a series of workshops to practice the skills using the Arduino microcontroller development environment, code, and prototyping
• Students will develop a prototype and presentation that will identify the extension of the user's senses in class as a public discussion/critique. This will outline the inspirations, plans, and technologies for the project. It should include at least one photoshop mockup or illustration showing the physical characteristics (dimensions, materials, etc.) and the way a user interfaces with the appliance (attached to head, worn like armor or clothing, held with hands, others)

Work phase

• Students will use in-class work periods to breadboard, code, and build the interface for their extrasensory appliance.
• Students will use the Fab Lab, other art department labs, or UWF to design and fabricate the interface for the appliance
• Students will take time to document the process carefully as they proceed to develop a good package of documentation which they will publish as part of the project.

Delivery and Presentation

• Demonstration of a complete and resilient project on the critique day. Plan your demo! No adjusting of wires, last minute battery changes, delaying class to 'suit-up'. Such projects will incur a 'late' penalty regardless if they are shown working on the critique day.
• Thorough documentation of the project in a published Instructable that meets high standards for communication and clarity.
• Documentation on the artist(s) blog(s). Good images/video of the project clearly demonstrating the fictions/use and an artist statement for the project.

Project 02

This is where the prompt will go. TBA