Prospectus

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Hardware and Physical Computing

Course
2021-2022

Admission requirements

Media Technology Msc students

Description

This course is about connecting computers to the physical world. We regularly connect ourselves to computers, for example via keyboard, mouse, monitor, and touch screen. However, many creative computing applications require a computer to connect to the physical world via other sensors (buttons, dials, thermometers, distance sensors, pressure sensors, accelerometers, light sensors, …) and actuators (motors, steppermotors, servo’s, leds, lcd’s, electrical appliances, …). Through computer programming, meaningful interaction patterns between sensors input and actuator output can be creatied. Typical application domains where computers sense and act in the physical world are robotics, interactive installations, home automation, and experimental research equipment.

This course introduces physical computing and interfacing via the Arduino open-source hardware platform. Arduino’s are inexpensive and popular micro-controller boards. Students learn to build their own Arduino board, to connect sensors and actuators, to program the Arduino, and must then apply it in a creative computing project.

See also the "This is Arduino" webpage, that is used in this course.

Course objectives

After completing the course, students

  • understand what are microprocessors, sensors and actuators;

  • have hands-on experience with soldering and building simple electronic circuits;

  • can connect basic sensing and actuating circuitry to Arduino;

  • can program Arduino for various tasks;

  • understand the basics of serial communication;

  • understand and have experienced how to approach a creative computing project involving Arduino.

Timetable

Check MyTimetable (manual) and use your ULCN account to login. Please note that (last-minute) changes in the schedule are communicated in the course's Brightspace.

Mode of instruction

Lecture, Seminar

Assessment method

Assessment and grading is based on a final assignment: the creative computing project. Student build an interactive work and present it in class.

Reading list

Selected online materials provided in class.

Registration

  • You have to enrol for classes and exams (including retakes) in uSis.

  • Exchange students need to contact the programme's coordinator due to limited capacity.

Contact

Contact the lecturer(s) for course specific questions and the programme's coordinator Barbara Visscher-van Grinsven for questions regarding the programme, admission and/or registration.