Fall 2016

Friday 1:00-4:40pm CFA 246

Instructor: Brian Larson Clark
Office hours: Tuesdays 2:00-3:00pm (and by appointment), CFA 248A
Email: blclark2@buffalo.edu

Course Description
This course introduces basic concepts and techniques for designing, constructing, and programming objects, spaces and media that sense and respond to their physical surroundings. Moving beyond the interface paradigm of screen, keyboard and mouse, physical computing enables alternate models for interaction with (and through) computers that afford more subtle and complex relations between a range of human and non-human actors. Combining presentations, discussions on the history of computer enabled art forms, and a series of hands-on technical workshops in computing methods and techniques, the course provides a critical and practical context for emerging forms of experimental practice. Topics include physical computing, interaction design, practical components of hardware design (electricity, electronics, microprocessors, components, sensors and actuators), and programming (variables, datatypes, control structures, functions, objects, communication protocols).
Prior expertise in computing is not required.
Required Texts
All required text will be distributed as pdfs and will be available on the course website.

Recommended Texts
Sullivan, Dan, and Tom Igoe. Physical computing sensing and controlling the physical world with computers. Boston: Thomson, 2004.

Mims, Forrest M.. Getting started in electronics. 3rd ed. Lincolnwood, Ill.: Master Publishing, 2003.

Required Hardware
Either:
Arduino Starter Kit: https://www.adafruit.com/product/1078 ($99.95)
Or:
Budget Pack for Arduino: https://www.adafruit.com/product/193 (Budget pack $34.95)

Software Used
Arduino: https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software
Processing: https://processing.org/download/