Welcome!§
If you've read the course description (below) and are still curious or have some questions, this is the right place to be. One short paragraph isn't quite enough to really know what Physical Computing is all about, so this page exists to expand on that. If you have any further questions after reading this, please feel free to email me (Professor Liffiton): mliffito@iwu.edu
The Description§
Physical Computing means creating and using objects that interact with the physical world and the people around them; that bridge the gap between the digital world (computers) and the analog world (everything else); and that sense, act, move, measure, talk, and react... In this class, we will approach computing from this perspective, learning about the fundamentals of programming and electronics as we create. With physical computing, you can create interactive art pieces; make sensors and control experiments; have your houseplant post to Twitter when it needs water; and, overall, connect the physical world and the digital world in a variety of ways. No programming or electronics experience is necessary; we'll start from scratch and work in teams to build cool things.
How This Works§
We'll be exploring physical computing through the use of the Arduino board, pictured above. This is a small electronic board with a "microcontroller" that can be programmed with software that you write to, basically, tell it what to do. It plugs into the USB port on any computer, and a variety of sensors, motors, lights, and other actuators can be plugged into it to provide the interface to the world and the people around it. In order to use it, we'll have to learn both about how to write that software (programming) and how to connect those sensors and actuators (electronics). In the end, you will have an incredibly versatile "bridge" between your computer and the physical world; it can do something entirely new just by writing some new software and plugging some different parts into it.
More Examples§
Want more of an idea of what physical computing can produce? Look through these links:
- A Sonar Glove for the Blind — Helps blind people detect obstacles at a distance
- Polargraph — A "drawing machine" controlled by an Arduino
- Interactive Talking Plush Portal Turret — Especially great if you've ever played Portal
- 20 Unbelievable Arduino Projects — One person's list of 20 great projects using the Arduino — all on Instructables, with instructions for making each project
- Top 40 Arduino Projects — Someone else's list of 40 great projects using the Arduino
- Arduino: The Documentary — A freely available documentary you can watch online
Questions... and Answers!§
Do I need to know how to program?
No! This course requires no background in computer science at all. You'll learn everything you need along the way.
What if I do know how to program already?
Great! You're welcome, too. If you already know how to program, we'll have other things for you to work on.
So... it's for anyone?
Yup! Ideally, we'll be able to pair up students with programming experience with those with less in order to work on group projects.
How much does this course cost?
In addition to the regular May term fee, it will be about $30 for the book (less for the ebook), and there is a $100 course fee to cover materials.
Materials?
That's not really a complete question, but yes, you'll be purchasing your own Arduino along with a variety of parts and pieces to use with it. This way, you'll get to keep everything and use it to make things after the course is over, too!
Do I get any gen-ed credits?
No. You'll have to take the course just because you want to.
Details§
When/Where: MTWRF 1:00-4:00 / CNS E201
Instructor: Mark Liffiton
Office: CNS C207B (2nd floor CNS, directly above entrance from quad)
Contact: Email is preferred (please start the subject with "CS111:"). For more pressing matters, my office # is 309-556-3535.
If you're still curious or just want more information, you can check out the syllabus from the last time this course was offered. Much of it will be the same this time around, but don't count on anything in particular; just use that to get a better sense of how the course might work.