Shared Minds
Dan O'Sullivan Wed 12:10pm to 2:40pm in Meetings:14
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4 pts |
Syllabus
This class asks students to think about thinking. Based on first person introspection, meditation and readings in psychology, students will examine the experience of their minds. Then we look at how computation works as a medium to capture and share that experience. Class time is evenly divided between conceptual discussions around psychology of media, looking at student work and learning coding skills for the following week.
On the technical side, the class gently picks up from ICM moving away from P5 to create 2D interfaces with vanilla javascript in an environment of Visual Studio Code, Github and Copilot. It moves to 3D using the three.js library, and to 4D by adding persistence (and sharing) using Firebase databases. With machine learning APIs and optionally Python Colab Notebooks the class then moves into hyperdimensional space using embeddings to navigate and compare within it. Finally the class returns to 2D or 3D to reach your body using UMAP dimensions reduction and embodied interfaces like VR, ML5 or P5LiveMedia. These are all web technologies (game engines will not work for this class). Each week students are expected to produce a quick sketch playing with the tech and imagine its application as a tool of improved communication.
In tandem with this technical journey each week there are conceptual readings and prompts asking students about how the technology aligns with the way they think. In a short blog post students are asked to take a critical look for the shortcomings of existing computational media and for ways we can make better media for connecting people with a better understanding of the mind. At the end of the semester students work on a final project using some or all of the concepts and technologies from the class.
Prerequisite: ICM / ICM: Media (ITPG-GT 2233 / ITPG-GT 2048)
This class asks students to think about thinking. Based on first person introspection, meditation and readings in psychology, students will examine the experience of their minds. Then we look at how computation works as a medium to capture and share that experience. Class time is evenly divided between conceptual discussions around psychology of media, looking at student work and learning coding skills for the following week.
On the technical side, the class gently picks up from ICM moving away from P5 to create 2D interfaces with vanilla javascript in an environment of Visual Studio Code, Github and Copilot. It moves to 3D using the three.js library, and to 4D by adding persistence (and sharing) using Firebase databases. With machine learning APIs and optionally Python Colab Notebooks the class then moves into hyperdimensional space using embeddings to navigate and compare within it. Finally the class returns to 2D or 3D to reach your body using UMAP dimensions reduction and embodied interfaces like VR, ML5 or P5LiveMedia. These are all web technologies (game engines will not work for this class). Each week students are expected to produce a quick sketch playing with the tech and imagine its application as a tool of improved communication.
In tandem with this technical journey each week there are conceptual readings and prompts asking students about how the technology aligns with the way they think. In a short blog post students are asked to take a critical look for the shortcomings of existing computational media and for ways we can make better media for connecting people with a better understanding of the mind. At the end of the semester students work on a final project using some or all of the concepts and technologies from the class.
Prerequisite: ICM / ICM: Media (ITPG-GT 2233 / ITPG-GT 2048)
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