The Seminar provides students with an essential introduction to the world of open-source programming languages and physical computing, in order to create a synchronous and meaningful interaction between the physical and digital realms. After gaining the necessary hardware and software knowledge, students are able to integrate interfaces, visualising methods, data sensing, and actuation, to conduct more advanced research and architectural proposals with embedded technology.


Syllabus


Credits: Thomas Burns

 

In today’s world, we use countless electronic devices daily. Yet, many of us don’t really understand how they work. Often, these devices are designed more for use than for understanding, leaving us in the dark about their inner workings.
Enter the world of open-source. This approach lets us look under the hood, revealing how tech works and even allowing us to create our own customised technology.

In a digital age where gadgets and gizmos are the norm, understanding their heartbeat often feels like a distant concept. While we’re surrounded by technology, the blueprint of their magic remains veiled.
Welcome to a transformative exploration of the digital universe with The Introduction to Programming and Physical Computing. 

What Awaits You:

  • Dive headfirst into the foundational pillars of programming and the tactile world of physical computing.
  • Familiarise yourself with the versatile Arduino platform, enabling you to bring ideas to life.
  • Step into a hands-on lab experience, where you’ll craft devices that sense and respond to their environment.

By the end of this seminar, not only will you decipher the digital language of everyday devices, but you’ll also be able to dive deeply in this field and embed smart features in your studio projects.

 

Learning Objectives

At course completion the students will:

  • learn the basic concepts of programming that will allow them to reach more depth in various Physical Computing topics as well as to jump to different programming languages;
  • be able to sense the environment and act back through actuators;
  • to develop smart apparatus that react to external conditions.

Faculty


Faculty Assitants


Projects from this course

SMART Sunlight Tracking Plant Pot

BRIEF The idea of the assignment is to use 2 sensors and 1 actuator in Arduino to create a working system. CONCEPT The project aims to create an intelligent plant pot system that employs sensors to gather environmental data, an Arduino to process and analyze this data, and a motor to physically adjust the plant … Read more

Pro-critter ventilation access system

Concept Ventilation systems are designed to move air, and they typically have filters to prevent large objects from entering. However, small animals can sometimes find their way into ventilation systems through openings or ducts. Apart from these closed ventilation systems there are also cases such as as industrial exhaust fans which are placed typically high … Read more

SPIDER-LED

A Lighting Installation for Natural Areas This proposal envisions to create a kinetic lighting element, to manage and minimize light pollution. It is imagined to be placed within the urban fabric in parks, or in natural suburban areas. The prototype’s design is based on the “Spider-LED Kit”, a box that can be mounted on a … Read more

The Be(a)ver_ages

Auto detective feeding mechanism Concept This project aligns with studio design, aiming to facilitate the re-establishment of beaver territories in a specific area.  The device integrates motion sensors and sound detection to identify the presence of beavers and dispense food accordingly, represented by a servo motor with LED lights indicating food dispensing.  Simultaneously, an LCD … Read more

Still in Session

Introduction After many building codes have been updated to require light sensors in order to save energy, most lighting control companies have introduced motion sensors to their products. This feature allows for lights to turn on or off automatically after movement has or has not been detected in a room for a set period of … Read more

NatureFlow: Smart Wildlife Crossing

Addressing the complex issues arising from climate change, urbanization, and human encroachment into natural habitats necessitates the establishment of harmonious interactions between humans and wildlife.Implementing thoughtful strategies can mitigate potential conflicts, safeguard biodiversity, and promote ecological connectivity.  Wildlife bridges are structures built over roads and  fragmented landscapes to enable animals to safely cross from one … Read more

GasWatch

Welcome, to the project that aims to redefine home safety through the implementation of a Smart Gas Detection System. This project focuses on ensuring the well-being of your household in a smarter, more intuitive way. In this vision of a safer home, the project introduces a Smart Gas Detection System, which plays a pivotal role … Read more