Syllabus

Here is the overview of how this workshop will be organized. Each session is three hours.

  • Session 1: Experimentation
  • Session 2: Application
  • Session 3: Production
  • Session 4: Demonstration

Here is the detailed schedule and plan for each session. Especially in the last two sessions, depending on everyone’s progress, we can be flexible about the activities.

Session Date Topics
1: Experimentation

Understanding the medium

 July 28
Thursday
4 – 7 pm

(week 1)
  • Introductions
  • Getting Started
    Learning the basics

    1. History / Context
    2. Resource Lists
    3. Installation / System Check
    4. “Hello World” : Blink an LED
    5. Breadboard Wiring
    6. Electronics Basics
  • Practice Exercises
    Getting some experience

    1. Binary Counter
      Digital Output – LEDs
    2. Speedometer
      Analog Input – Pots
    3. Button Trigger
      Digital Input – Buttons
    4. Bike Computer
      Serial/LCD Output – Debugging
2: Application

What you can/will do

 Aug 2
Thursday
4 – 7 pm

(week 2)
  • Physical Computing Landscape
    A whirlwind tour of the possibilities

    1. Sensors (inputs)
      understanding the physical world
    2. Actuators (outputs)
      affecting the physical world
    3. Wearables (e-textiles, LilyPad)
      embedding digital devices in clothing
    4. AC / DC (relays, triacs)
      big electricity
    5. EL Wire (think Burning Man, Tron)
      making stuff light up at night
    6. Wireless (XBees)
      connected Arduinos
    7. Networking (Ethernet)
      talk to the online world
    8. Datalogging (SD cards)
      saving sensor data
    9. Visualization (Processing)
      real-time graphics
    10. Touchscreens
      … and on and on
  • Project Ideation
    Planning your designs

    1. Brainstorming
    2. Concept Sketches
    3. Pitch Sessions
    4. System Spec / Sourcing
3: Production

Implementing your designs

 Aug 16
Tuesday
4 – 7 pm

(week 4)
  • Project Development
    Putting it all together

    1. Soldering
    2. Prototyping
    3. Debugging
    4. Assembly
    5. Testing
4: Demonstration

Sharing your projects

 Sept 9
Friday
4 – 7 pm

(week 7)

 The “Science Fair”
Showing it off