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Intro Main Topics & Assignments by Week Labs and other useful tutorials Grading & Requirements Books and Readings Parts & Supplies ClassPages

Printable Version of Entire Syllabus

Class dates:

• Monday
• Tuesday
• Wednesday
• Thursday
• Friday

Please note the dates of your class. Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday and the Legislative day, there are some shifted classes.

• Some time in weeks 1 - 3: Attend a tool safety session in the shop

Week 1

• What is Physical Computing?
• What is a Microcontroller?
  • Microcontrollers and sensors in the everyday environment
• Analog vs. Digital
• Digital Input and Output
• Breadboards
• Intro to Arduino and first program.
• Assignment:
  • Join the physcomp listserve
  • Introduce yourself in the class site for your section. Include links to any external site you're maintaining for this class.
  • Sign up for two days of shop cleaning.
  • Lab: Setting up a breadboard
  • Lab: first Arduino program
• Reading:
  • Crawford, The Art of Interactive Design, chapters 1 and 2 (note: you will need to sign into NYUHome to view this. From your NYUHome home page, click "Research" then "books24x7.com" then search for "The Art of Interactive Design" by Chris Crawford. Alternately, try this link. )

Week 2

• analog input
• start observation project
• Assignment:
  • Lab: Analog in; tracking changes with variables
  • Observation Assignment. You will be assigned in pairs for this assignment.
• Reading:
  • Norman, Design of Everyday Things, ch. 1
  • Norman, Emotional Design, Chapter 1, "Attractive Things Work Better".

Week 3

• Understanding Electricity
• discuss observation assignment
• Assignment:
  • Lab: Electronics

Week 4

• analog output
  • pulsewidth modulation
• Assignment:
  • Lab: servo/analog out
• Reading: Norretranders, The User Illusion, Chapter 6: The Bandwidth of Consciousness

Week 5

• serial communication week 1
  • graphing a sensor
• Assignment:
  • Lab: Serial Output
  • Begin midterm assignment (group project)

Week 6

• serial communication week 2
  • multiple sensors
  • Interpreting bytes: ASCII vs. binary
  • handshaking/call-and-response
• Assignment:
  • Lab: Multiple Serial Output

Week 7

• high current loads and motors
  • controlling DC Motors
  • stepper motors
• Assignment:
  • Transistor Lab
  • HBridge Lab

Week 8

• midterm presentations

Week 9

• complex data communications
  • configuration vs. communication (command move vs. data mode)
  • addressing
  • XBee serial as example
  • protocols discussion

Week 10

• modularity, code approaches, and project planning

Week 11

• present finals in progress. Critique concepts and interaction

Week 12

• present in progress, Critique concepts and interaction

Week 13

• final project workshop. Discuss any remaining technical issues

Week 14

• final presentation