In this lab, you’ll learn how to connect a variable resistor to a microcontroller and read it as an analog input. You’ll be able to read changing conditions from the physical world and convert them to changing variables in a program.

The Lab: Continue reading →

Digital Input and Output with an Arduino

The Lab Continue reading →

Observation. Pick a piece of interactive technology in public, used by multiple people. Write down your assumptions as to how it’s used, and describe the context in which it’s being used. Watch people use it, preferably without them knowing they’re being observed. Take notes on how they use it, what they do differently, what appear to be the difficulties, what appear to be the easiest parts. Record what takes the longest, what takes the least amount of time, and how long the whole transaction takes. Consider how the readings from Norman and Crawford reflect on what you see.

For my observation I picked the ticket booths at Grand Central Station, where you can get a train ticket from an automated booth. Continue reading →

In this lab we cover switches, both parallel and in series.

Two switches in parallel. Any one of the two will turn on the LED Continue reading →

After this class’ discussion and exercise, and reading Chris Crawford’s definition and Bret Victor’s rant, how would you define physical interaction? What makes for good physical interaction? Are there works from others that you would say are good examples of digital technology that are not interactive?

While technology changes faster and faster each day and we find new ways to better or worsen our lives, the basis of interaction seems to stay universally the same due to the irrevocability of the human nature. Continue reading →