Instructors: Livia Sunesson, Camille Norment, and David Cuartielles
Credits: 5 Swedish credits, 7.5 ECTS credits
Course length: 200 hours
Grade levels: Swedish students are graded Approved or Not Approved
International students will be graded according to the ECTS system, from A to F, where A is the highest grade and F is the lowest.
This course is an introduction to current thoughts in interaction design on embodiment and the senses, and its implications for the development of ubiquitous computing, interactive services, wearables and augmented reality environments. The course will also include an introduction to the fundamentals of digital electronics and sensors.
Upon completion of the course, students will be well acquainted with current thought and practice in interaction design, ranging from studies of perceptual psychology and the senses to social interaction. Through the use of the Arduino boards students will learn to apply theoretical design concepts to the prototyping of interactive devices that integrate sensors and broaden user experience beyond the keyboard, screen and mouse.
Topics within interaction design to be covered will include senses, perception and phenomenology and social interaction, interactive installations, artefacts and exhibition design. Examples of interactive installations and artefacts will be shown in lectures.
Students will be exposed to a range of sensors that are available to interaction designers, as well as:
The course will include lectures and discussion seminars, as well as electronics labs and design workshops.
An introduction to electronics will take place over the first 5 weeks of the course. Students will be divided into smaller lab groups, which will meet on Tuesdays or Thursdays in the Mekatronics lab and in Dat 3. Advising will also be available in the Mekalab during the project phase.
Working in project teams, produce an interactive prototype demonstrating an everyday product transformed into a personal technology incorporating sensors, to be exhibited publicly. The final prototype must be documented in a way that will fit into a museum setting, including a consideration of exhibition experience design:
Each team should provide one a4 page with exhibition version of the scenario, telling a minimal story, plus high-quality photos of model and sketches. They should also hand in a video scenario on a DVD showing the prototype in action, in a comprehensive context. The prototype must communicate and work on its own, without student presence.
Restriction: no game concepts.
Examination forms will be adapted to evaluate the learning objectives (see goal, above). Students will complete individual and group assignments that reinforce course content. Grades to be awarded will consist of “godkänd” or “underkänd.”
International students will be graded in the ECST system
The project proposal should be a 7-10 pages long document that explains the prototype. It should contain:
The video scenario should present the interaction with the prototype in an elegant and involving way. The prototype should be in a realistic setting with a realistic user.
The project will be exhibited in K3’s north wing from 19th to 21st of December.
The exhibition will open 13.00 the 19th. Every group will have to produce documentation for the exhibition (see above under the header: Final Project). The last crit. and evaluation will be Monday the 12 of December 2005. The grades will be delivered after the exhibition since the participation is a criteria for godkänt.