91.117 Schedule

Week 1

Jan 23

  • Jan 23 Introduction, overview of class (FM, HY, HJK)
  • Previous projects
  • Introduction to Handy Cricket
  • Basic electronics
  • Paper 1, Project 1 announced
  • Lab 1 announced: Handy Cricket and mobile robots, motors
  • Readings: spring symposium paper, metacricket paper, cricket reference

Jan 25

  • Art Manifesto (what is art?) (HJK)

Week 2

Jan 30

  • New Media Art - history and practice, 1960s and 1970s (HJK)
  • Jay Critchley (Beige Brigade artist) guest lecture confirmed
  • sub-procedures
  • how to use the Wiki
  • In Lab, learn how to use sensors

Feb 1

  • New Media Art - history and practice, 1960s and 1970s (HJK)
  • Electricity and sensor programming
  • Introduction to Project 1
  • In Lab, learn how to use sensors

Week 3

Feb 6

Feb 8

  • 2D/3D design elements; Creative design process — how artists make work, what is this process like, similarities between engineering design and art design
  • During lab time, visit The Revolving Museum (Feb 6, 8)
  • Lab: Project 1 begins

Week 4

Feb 13

  • Project 1 in-class presentation
  • Project 1 proposal (a writeup) is due
  • Discussion of the Beige Brigade technology and how to interface it to the Cricket.

Feb 15

  • Holly Yanco robotic applications lecture
  • Lab: Project 1 continues

Week 5 - Feb 20 (no class, Monday schedule), Feb 22

  • Feb 20 - Elements in New Media design
  • Feb 22 -
  • Lab: Project 1 continues

Week 6 - Feb 27, Mar 1

  • Go to Revolving LAB instead of lecture! Work on your exhibitions!
  • Lab: Project 1 installed in TRM! Exhibition is Saturday March 3!

Week 7

Mar 6

  • Topics in Computer Science and Robotics
  • Meet at Revolving Museum for Lecture.
  • 3pm - Meet the Artists at Revolving Museum.

Mar 8

  • Paper2 due.
  • Exhibition evaluation during lecture; Linda Silka visiting lecture. Thu lab is canceled. Project 2 and Paper3 announced.
  • Museum LAB preparation

Spring Break - Mar 13, 15

Week 8

Mar 20

  • Discussion of mentoring and running after-school program
  • New Media Art lecture
  • After-school program starts. Program will meet 2:45 to 4:30.

Mar 22

  • Multiple cricket programming, music and other parallelism, when statement, IR communications.
  • show video of Cabaret Mechanical Theatre (finished artworks).
  • in lab: programming multiple crickets to communicate using IR.

Week 9

Mar 27

  • kinetic mechanisms ("How to Make Automata", Arthur Ganson video)
  • hand-outs from Movable Illustrations book
  • in lab: cardboard cutout mechanisms

Mar 29

  • Student code review
  • Project brainstorming
  • in lab: cardboard cutout mechanisms

Week 10

Apr 3

  • in lab: programming multiple crickets to communicate using IR.
  • in lecture: code review of project 1; discussion of project 2 proposals

Apr 5

  • Artists presentation by students
  • in lecture: discussion of cybernetics; paper 2 returned

Week 11

April 10

  • we discussed “extra credit” opportunities.
  • 2 students presented artists
  • We discussed final project plans
  • Holly showed some HRI robots (see Readings and Handouts page).

April 12

  • more student presentations.
  • discussion of Project 2 proposals, in small groups
  • Paper3 due.

Week 12

  • K-12 school vacation week, but Lowell HS students expected to attend Artbotics after-school program

April 17

  • student presentations

April 18

  • (a Wednesday) - Brian Knep lecture about 2007 Boston Cyberarts Festival. O'Leary 222 (South Campus), 3:15 pm

April 19

  • student presentations

Week 13 - Apr 24, Apr 26

  • Working on final project
  • Apr 24 Ian Horswill guest visit
  • Apr 26 CITA conference
  • Apr 27 John Wooding panels at Wannalancit
  • Apr 27 Cambodian opera, on Friday night

Week 14

  • Working on final project

May 1

  • project review in the lab

May 3

  • installation

Week 15 - May 8 (last day of class), May 10 (no class - Friday schedule)

  • Final project exhibition

Saturday May 12

  • Revolving Museum's 'Artventures' exhibit at Lucy Larkin park, Lowell

Week 16 - May 15

  • Paper 4 (final paper) due – turn in to Phyllis in Olsen 207 between 10am and 4 pm

Important Dates

January 29: Last day to add courses without permission
February 5: Last day to add/drop course
March 9 - 18: Spring Break
March 20: Mid-semester
April 2 - 13: Faculty advising period
April 10: Last day to withdraw

Spring Semester Key Dates

  1. March 3: TRM opening
  2. March 6: Meet the Artist event (publicize to LHS)
  3. March 8: Applications Due for after-school program
  4. March 9: Decision notification
  5. March 20: After-school program starts
  6. May 8: After-school opening
  7. May 10: Debrief with LHS students
  8. May 15: Debrief with UML students

Stuff to reschedule

  • Mark Dannenhauer (puppeteer) guest lecture

Programs

Middle School Program

Educators Workshop

After School Programs

UML College Courses

Pilot Program