Syllabus
TECHNOLOGY
AND THE BODY /
/
ASIM
3350
Professor
Course Overview //
Brittany Ransom ::
Technology and the Body is an introductory course that allows students to build
bransom@smu.edu
electronic and code driven wearable interfaces for the body. Students will learn how to
customize circuits and code to build sensor interfaces for the body using the Lilypad
arduino and soft circuiting techniques.
Students will be introduced to wearable art through viewing contemporary technology
based artists, videos, readings, and hands on instruction. Students will specifically
explore the intersection of material, interactivity, technology, the body (both human
and non-human), and the conceptual potentials within the context of wearable art.
Students will be introduced to introductory level programming through both the
Lilypad arduino micro controllers as well as basic electronics. Students will will produce
their own wearable prototypes both individually and collaboratively working through a
Professor Bio //
Brittany Ransom is an artist and
educator who creates interactive
installations, electronic art objects, and
site specific interventions that strive to
probe the line between human, animal,
and environmental relations while
exploring emergent technologies.
Using technology as a material,
Ransom’s work introduces concepts
exploring the conflicted relationships
between our culture, the concern for
nature, and the way we interact with
the natural world. She explores the
paradoxical bond between human
nature, its inhabitants and the coevolution between the living and
budding technological innovation while
questioning these technologies.
Ransom’s work invites the viewer to
question how technology can
concurrently invent, destroy, enshroud,
and expose itself within our shared
environments.
Ransom received her Master of Fine
Arts Degree with a focus in New Media
Arts (formerly known as Electronic
Visualization) from the University of
Illinois at Chicago in May of 2011.
Ransom is currently serving as the
Assistant Professor of Digital/Hybrid
and is affiliated faculty in the Center for
Creative Computation
Meeting
Plano Campus
January 5-9 & January 12-14
9am - 12p & 1:00p - 4p
series of four projects.
This course is open to all majors. Students who would find this course the most
interesting may include but is not limited to students studying at the Guildhall,
Creative Computation, Engineering, Computer Science, Art, Design, and Theater /
Costume design.
How students will benefit from this course //
- Exposure to a wide range of artists, designers, performers, and game designers that
explore technological apparatus for the body.
- Learn soft circuiting and basic electronic circuiting / components
- Learn arduino code software and hardware interface
- Artistic, aesthetic, and theoretical approach to creating various types of interfaces for the
body (both human and non-human).
- Hands on and individualized design and experimentation in designing your own projects
Course Goals //
Works created in this course are designed to draw inspiration from artists and
designers who explore the genre of wearables that may involve real time data
collection, sensor based systems, and expressive or performative “garments”. This
course is designed to expand the creative process, the exploration of materials, the
ever evolving discourse around technology and the body, and to implore the
collaboration between various disciplines within art, design, and engineering. Students
should leave this class with the dexterity to complete a series of electronic exercises
and create experimental wearable devices of their own design while implementing
electronic technology. Students will also be introduced to works addressing many of
these issues by contemporary artists, designers, and technologists. Most importantly
students should develop a basic vocabulary and the deductive skills necessary to
comfortably engage in discussions addressing concepts of the body, technology, and
wearable sculpture.
Student Responsibilities and Requirements //
Various excerpts from books (both in print and online), journals, articles, conferences,
and videos will be assigned in class as reading assignments or posted to the course
website when they are open source. You will be notified exactly where to access any
online reading materials if it is from outside of the course packet.
No programming experience necessary.
Assignments //
This course focuses on the imaginative use of electronic tools and materials in art
making as well as surveying various wearable art projects and performances. A series
of assignments can be found on the following pages that will support this focus and
the course goals. Please visit the homework & assignments section of the class website
for more information and updates throughout the semester.
Reading & Physical Materials //
All students are required to purchase the book:
Make: Wearable Electronics: Design, prototype, and wear your own interactive
garments
http://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-prototype-interactiveTechnology/dp/1449336515/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=82&keywords=fashioning+technology
Required Materials:
Personal Laptop- If you do not have one please see course instructor
Open Softwear by T. Olsson, D. Gaetano, J. Odhner and S. Wiklund. (Open Source
Online)
Lilypad Beginners Kit & Electronics (Provided)
*Materials for in class workshops and electronics exercises will be provided.
** Other materials for student projects may be necessary and it is the students
responsibility to purchase the materials they think they may need for the execution of
their artistic vision.
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Evaluation //
Comprehension of concepts, integration of artistic goals, acquired technical skills, and
imaginative ingenuity will be considered. More importantly, participation in class
discussions, lab sessions, and the amount of effort put into each class and outside
work will be evaluated as will the ability to apply the techniques introduced in class in
an innovated and inventive mater for creative assignments. Personal initiative and
artistic development over the length of the semester will also be considered.
Grading //
Class Participation 15% - Class participation includes attending scheduled class time,
workshops, critiques, discussions, and an overall active engagement in class.
Daily Exercises 15% - Technical electronic exercises will be given daily. You will be
responsible for completing these assignments as they are given and demonstrating
them in class. Failure to attempt and or complete these assignments will result in a
lowered grade.
Blog Responses 15% - Every day we will look at several new media artists and
projects and you will be asked to submit a short one paragraph response about a
specific topic to the course blog, topics will be announced at the end of each class
and can also be found on the course website. Feel free to use the blog to also share
other interesting projects or information that you might find useful to yourself and
your classmates. The blog is a place meant for you to share your ideas about class
topics, resources, collaborative ideas, and interesting projects that you might come
across. Late blog responses will result in a lowered grade. Blog topics will be given on
Wednesdays. Blog Responses are due every day that the course is held by 7:00pm.
Assignments 1-4 (collectively) 55% - The specifics of these assignments can be found
below.
** Extra credit can be earned in case by case bases when it is needed and
deserved. **
Attendance //
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Attendance is MANDATORY as there are lecture topics that cannot be made up
outside of class. The instructor will NOT be available to personally re-teach a class if
you are absent unless it was for an excused absence.
Be considerate of other classmates and show up on time for class. Late arrivals are
disruptive for everyone. Being late to class beyond the first 15 minutes will be
considered as an unexcused absence.
Though the instructor keeps attendance records, it is the student’s responsibility to
also keep track of their absences and late arrivals. The instructor may, but is not
obligated to, notify the student if their total number of absences is nearing critical.
Students are expected to utilize work time during class productively. Work days are
meant as research and production focus days with individualized instruction from the
professor for specific projects.
Because this course is during the J Term, absences from the course are not
permissible except for emergencies.
A PDF of each lecture will be posted to the course website after each class. This is not
an open invitation to miss class, it is to offer you notes to refer to as we will be busy
with hands on demos in class.
Disclaimer //
Projects created in this course may be used by the department and lab for purposes of
promotion for students, the Department, or the University in general. The Department
may also use these materials for instructional purposes in future courses. Students will
be notified accordingly.
First Day Login //
You will be assigned a log in name and password to access the course website and
blog. Please check on the first day to make sure you can log in and successfully make
a test post.
Academic Honesty and Misconduct //
You are bound by the Honor Code and the SMU Student Code of Conduct.
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For complete details, see: http://www.smu.edu/studentlife/PCL_01_ToC.asp
Disability Accommodations //
Students needing academic accommodations for a disability must first be registered
with Disability Accommodations & Success Strategies (DASS) to verify the disability
and to establish eligibility for accommodations. Students may call 214-768-1470 or
visit http://www.smu.edu/alec/dass to begin the process. Once registered, students
should then schedule an appointment with the professor to make appropriate
arrangements.
Religious Observance //
Religiously observant students wishing to be absent on holidays that require missing
class should notify their professors in writing at the beginning of the semester, and
should discuss with them, in advance, acceptable ways of making up any work missed
because of the absence. (See University Policy No. 1.9.)
Excused Absences for University Extracurricular Activities //
Students participating in an officially sanctioned, scheduled University extracurricular
activity should be given the opportunity to make up class assignments or other graded
assignments missed as a result of their participation. It is the responsibility of the
student to make arrangements with the instructor prior to any missed scheduled
examination or other missed assignment for making up the work. (University
Undergraduate Catalogue)
Assignments //
Assignment #1: //// EXTENDING THE BODY
Create a wearable that deals with extending the physical body. Use your own body as
a starting point for the exploration of self, the implementation of learned technology
and the body, and concepts / questions that may arise from these interventions and
collaborations. Think beyond accessorizing your body, that is not the purpose of this
assignment. This assignment asks that you interact with your new body extension in a
way that alters your personal experience of self and the way your body and or body
extension can affect the space in which you exist. Materials are completely up to your
choosing.
Requirements: Incorporation of Lilypad / Arduino interface
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Deliverables:
- Completion of Project for in class critique
- Documentation: make a short (>5min) video documenting your tools, techniques,
and outcomes (you may wish to use the application iShowU to collate video of your
demonstration). Be Sure to take 1 minute to just show the piece or installation
functioning. Incorporate video screen shots of the resultant data, etc. Upload your
video to google video, youtube, or other online resource and send the link to the
instructor
- Please submit via email the completed arduino sketch (code) for your project.
Assignment #2: /// SOCIAL GESTURES
Consider common gestures (a handshake, a wink, walking, standing, sitting, waving,
clapping hugging, making eye contact, etc.). Create a wearable that addresses a
common gesture or activity by amplifying, subverting, or changing the way that it
creates social conversation, changes social space, and or relationships.
Examples:
-See this Article: http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2011/06/is-the-rise-of-wearableelectronics-finally-here.html
-The Jacket That Hugs You Back:
http://www.newlaunches.com/archives/senseroid_the_jacket_that_hugs_you_back.php
-Tounge Music: http://www.hynam.org/HY/sou.html
Requirements: Must incorporate the Lilypad / Arduino interface
Deliverables:
- Completion of Project for in class critique
- Documentation: make a short (>5min) video documenting your tools, techniques,
and outcomes (you may wish to use the application iShowU to collate video of your
demonstration). Be Sure to take 1 minute to just show the piece or installation
functioning. Incorporate video screen shots of the resultant data, etc. Upload your
video to google video, youtube, or other online resource and send the link to the
instructor.
- Please submit via email the completed arduino sketch (code) for your project.
Assignment #3 /// SECOND SKIN
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Think about your skin as an interface- an interface that you know and understand how
to use, that can sense a multitude of changes in the environment that is constantly
changing around it. Design a second skin that is capable of sensing the environment
(the way it does this is up to you). Consider the way the way this second skin might be
able to imprint the signature of the wearers body, evoking or revealing something
about the wearer’s identity.
Requirements: Must incorporate the Lilypad / Arduino interface
Deliverables:
- Completion of Project for in class critique
- Documentation: make a short (>5min) video documenting your tools, techniques,
and outcomes (you may wish to use the application iShowU to collate video of your
demonstration). Be Sure to take 1 minute to just show the piece or installation
functioning. Incorporate video screen shots of the resultant data, etc. Upload your
video to google video, youtube, or other online resource and send the link to the
instructor.
- Please submit via email the completed arduino sketch (code) for your project.
Assignment #4 /// FINAL PROJECT BODY ATTACHMENT CONCEPTUALIZATION
Design your ideal technological apparatus for the body. The body can be that of a
human or non-human. Consider the artists / designers that we have seen in class as
well as as the technological interfaces and sensor based systems that you have
learned. Using modeling software covered in class, design a hypothetical interface for
the body. Create a 2 page typed proposal for your hypothetical project. Include in
your project proposal a fully rendered 3D model, list of parts/materials, technical
applications, and specifications and the conceptual reasoning behind creating this
work.
Deliverables-Completion of model for hypothetical design
-2 page paper
// Additional Resources //
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Additional links to Arduino Resources, Safari Books for SMU students and Ken
Rinaldo’s book can be accessed in the resources section of the course website.
New Media & Interaction Design Sites
Wemakemoneynotart : http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/
Rhizome: http://rhizome.org/
Infosthetics: http://infosthetics.com/
Engadget: http://www.engadget.com/
Gizmodo: http://gizmodo.com/
Boing Boing: http://boingboing.net/
Visual Complexity: http://www.visualcomplexity.com/vc/
New Media Fix: http://newmediafix.net/
ISEA: http://www.isea2010ruhr.org/
Arts Electronica: http://www.aec.at/index_de.php
SIGGRAPH: http://www.siggraph.org/
Sabrina Raaf’s Body + Tech Links: http://www.raaf.org/bodyandTech2.html
Ken Rinaldo’s Links: http://kenrinaldo.com/frame_artist_links.html
Beverly Tang’s Links: http://beverlytang.com/links.html
Steve Wilson’s Links: http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~infoarts/links/wilson.artlinks2.html
Next Nature Blog (my personal favorite): http://www.nextnature.net/
DIY Resources
Instructables: http://www.instructables.com/
Fashioning Technology Materials http://www.fashioningtech.com/page/materials-1
Craft Magazine http://craftzine.com/magazine/
Make Magazine: http://makezine.com/
i-hacked: http://www.i-hacked.com/
Electronics DIY: http://electronics-diy.com/
Craft Magazine: http://craftzine.com/
How Stuff Works: http://www.howstuffworks.com/
LifeHacker: http://lifehacker.com/
Metku: http://metku.net/
Hack A Day: http://hackaday.com/
Kitsrus: http://kitsrus.com/
Hacked Gadgets: http://hackedgadgets.com/
ITP Physical Computing: http://itp.nyu.edu/physcomp/Tutorials/ArduinoBreadboard
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Online Tools
How to use a multimeter: http://www.doctronics.co.uk/meter.htm
Safety tips for multimeter use: http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_1/chpt_3/9.html
Graphical Resistance Calculator: http://www.dannyg.com/examples/res2/resistor.htm
LED Series Designer: http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz
Ohms Law Calculator: http://www.the12volt.com/ohm/page2.asp
Battery Life Calculation: http://www.techlib.com/reference/batteries.htmls
Stores
Make Store: http://www.makershed.com/
Lady Ada: http://www.ladyada.net/
Sparkfun: http://www.sparkfun.com/
Jameco: http://www.jameco.com/
Electronic Goldmine: http://www.goldmine-elec.com/
Digi Key: http://www.goldmine-elec.com/
All Electronics: http://www.allelectronics.com/
Newark: http://www.newark.com/
Parallax: http://www.parallax.com/
MPJA: http://www.mpja.com/
Mouser: http://www.mouser.com/
Super Bright LEDs: http://www.superbrightleds.com/
Acroname Robotics: http://www.acroname.com/
Radio Shack (A good place to go if you need something basic in a hurry)
http://radioshack.com/
American Science and Surplus: http://www.sciplus.com/
Miscellaneous Resources
Basic Electronic Definitions: http://www.ziplink.net/~teachcte/defin-e1.html
Electronic Components Definitions and Descriptions:
http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/compon.htm
Electronic Symbols Chart: http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/symbol.htm
Basic Circuits: http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter04.html
Graphical Representation of Ohms Law:
http://faculty.plattsburgh.edu/donald.slish/Basic.html
Basic Electricity Tutorial- Switches: http://www.1728.com/project2.htm
Basic Electricity Tutorial- MOSFET Transistor:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te5YYVZiOKs
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Basic Electricity Tutorial- Relays: http://www.1728.com/project3.htm
Ken Rinaldo’s Tech Links: http://kenrinaldo.com/frame_technical_links.html
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