Art 511: Sensor Based Events / Physical Computing
Spring, 03 Tu-Th 7-10
Professor Stephen Wilson
,
Conceptual
Inforfmation Arts
Art Department, San Francisco State University
FA 539 - 338-2291 - swilson@sfsu.edu -
Office hours tu/th 12-2 (please confirm beforehand)
No prerequisites. Priority enrollment CIA majors. Consent of Instructor
(Listed in schedule as Interactive Events)
Required Text: Information Arts: Intersections of Art, Science
and Technology. Stephen Wilson (MIT Press, 2002)
Summary
| Hands-on studio course to introduce students to techniques
and aesthetics of creating experimental art/media events and installations
based on technologies of motion sensing and actuation of devices. In both
the art and research worlds dissatisfaction is growing with the limitations
of the mouse and keyboard as computer interfaces. New technologies enable
sensing of motion, location, and gesture... Similarly new paradigms of
ubiquitous computing are exploring the possibilities of activated spaces
in which objects are endowed with intelligence and responsiveness. This
course will survey previous artistic work that investigates these conceptual
spaces Familiarity with computing, interactive media, Director, and electronics
will be useful but not required. |
 |
The course will use the TrackThemColors system for Director, which allows
motion, and position detection from video frames. Activation of devices
will use the EZ-IO board. Students without Director skills will be expected
to undertake special tutorials to get up to speed so they can use the system.
Consent of Instructor required.
Course Objectives
-
Students will be able to articulate theoretical perspectives relevant to
cultural experimentation with embodiment, physical computing, motion detection,
gesture recognition, activated objects and alternative interfaces.
-
Students will be able to identify, desribe and analyze work of artists
working with these experimental interfaces.
-
Students will be able to design art events that explore motion, position,
and gesture recognition.
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Students will be able to design art events that explore object activation.
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Students will be able to locate, comprehend, and articulate art implications
of university and think0tank based technological research in related fields
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Students will demonstrate skills of using Director to orchestrate events
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Student will be able to articulate a personal aesthetic about uses of these
techniologies in their own works.
(** Since the course does require working with Macromedia Director,
students without Director experience will be expected to undertake an accelerated
self-initiated tutorial and pass a basic competency test. This intermediate
course will not be able to teach basic Director skills. Also, the
object activation part of the course will be using basic electronics to
control devices. The course will not be able to teach electronics.
Students will be expected to tailor their art works to the realities of
what they know and what can be taught within the limits of the course.)
Course Requirements
(See Details Below in Course Assignments section)
Completion of readings and oral presentation to class
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Presentation of Artists and Research
-
Prsentation on artist using motion detection technology (description, analysis
of critical themes, artistic agenda)
-
Prsentation on artist using object activation (description, analysis of
critical themes, artistic agenda)
-
Presentation of technology research related to course technologies.
-
Technical skill competency installations
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Demonstrate basic competency in Track Them Colors (read documentation,
set up hardware, read movement of persons)
-
Demonstrate basic competency in EZIO object control (read documentation,
set up hardware, control simple devices)
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Art Installations
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Art Project 1 using motion detection
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Art Project 2 using object activation
-
Final Project (using either or both)
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Regular Attendance (since most of the topics in the course are not
available in texts, students are expected to attend all classes.
Excessive absence beyond 3 without valid reasons will call for withdrawal.
Course Themes
Many artists have experimented with motion detection and object activation.
Further progress in this field will come from artistic clarity about rationales
and metaphors used in installations that explore these technologies.
Here are some samples of possible metaphors and rationales.
nearness/distance = visual or conceptual clarity
nearness/distance = positive or negative affective valence
postition map to conceptual structure - eg changing position reveal
different aspects
read movement toward or away as change of interest/emotion
read speed of movement as level of interest/emotion
read left/right up/down movement as metaphor
map objects as conceptual structure (use position as indicator of object
nearness)
read relative position of people in a space (snibbe)
interact with static space or with projection from computer
alternative interface for controlling web surfing
alternative interface for controlling digital video
commentary on surveillance (Garrin)
synthetic character or activity follow person in projection(Krueger,
Campbell)
technology assisted dance
motion interface for a game (keays)
virtual tour(Benayoun)
space as an interface to an instrument (Rokeby, Segen, )
control everyday electrical objects
control signals to speakers
Course Schedule
| 1/28-30 |
Logisitcs. Introduction to Motion Detection, TrackThemColors
(assign- read Wilson, Information Arts
-web research on artists
- Demo project - motion detection) |
Intro - Experiment with Motion Detection/TTC |
| 2/4-6 |
Lab |
Discuss Wilson reading
Present Artists from Web
(assign Installation Project 1) |
| 2/11-13 |
Lab |
Lab |
| 2/18-20 |
Present Demo Project 1 |
Class |
| 2/25-7 |
Lab /artists |
Lab/ Artists |
| 3/4-6 |
Introduction to Object Activation, EZIO board
(assign- demo project 2
- installation project 2
- critical theory / interactivity reading |
Intro - Experiment with Object Activation |
| 3/11-13 |
Present Full Installation Project
1 |
Present Full Installation Project
1 |
| 3/18-20 |
SPRING RECESS--------------- |
SPRING RECESS------------------- |
| 3/25-27 |
Go over EZIO board demo / (discuss
Final Project )
(assign Installation Project 2) |
EZIO l;ab/ prototypes |
| 4/1-3 |
Discuss theory reading / Lab |
Present Installation Project 2 (EZIO) |
| 4/8-10 |
Carry over installation project 2 - Lab |
Professor in Monteal |
| 4/15-17 |
Present Preliminary Final Project
Plans |
Lab |
| 4/22-24 |
Lab |
Class |
| 4/29-5/1 |
Lab |
Class |
| 5/6-5/8 |
Lab |
Present Final Project |
| 5/13-5/15 |
Present Final Project |
|
Course Assignments Details
-
Presentation of Artists and Research
-
Presentation on artist using motion detection technology (description,
analysis of critical themes, artistic agenda)
-
Presentation on artist using object activation (description, analysis of
critical themes, artistic agenda)
-
Presentation of technology research related to course technologies.
-
Technical skill competency installations
-
Demo Project 1: Demonstrate basic competency in Track Them
Colors (read documentation, set up hardware, read movement of persons-
Create a simple Director movie that reads a person's movements to 3 places
in the room; Have the movie activate a specific image when the person movies
into each specific place; Have the movie turn off the images when a person
moves away. Conceptualize this demo project so that the images and
movement explore an interesting conceptual relationship but Keep
the project Simple!! )
-
Demo Project 2: Demonstrate basic competency in EZIO object
control (read documentation, set up hardware, control simple devices -
Create a simple Director movie that links mouse actions on a screen to
activation of electrical objects via the EZIO board; Have the movie
turn on specific objects when the user moves the mouse within specific
areas of the screen; Have the movie turn the objects off when the mouse
is not in those areas. Conceptualize this demo project so that it
explores and interesting linkage between the metaphoric image space of
the screen and the particular objects turning on and off but Keep
the project Simple!! )
-
Art Installations
-
Installation Project 1 using motion detection ( Create an
art installation that uses detection of motion as its main interface.
Design your project so that movement plays a crucial metaphoric role in
the aesthetic agenda. Be ready to articulate your rationale )
-
Installation Project 2 using object activation ( Create an art installation
that uses activation of objects as a critical element. Design your
project so that movement plays a crucial metaphoric role in the aesthetic
agenda. Be ready to articulate your rationale )
-
Installation Final Project (Create an art installation that
explores artistic agendas related to motion detection and/or object activation)
Course Links
TrackThemColors xtra
EZIO Board Information
Director / Lingo Tutorials
Tom
Igoe course at NYU TTC page Igoe's
Physical Computing course and Links
Dan O'Sullivan's
Physical Computing course (NYU)
EZIO board specifications/examples
(developed by Professor Michael
Rodemer U. Michigan - object activation - director xtras)
Wilson Guide to Using EZIO board
Artists
cxploring motion,gesture,activated objects (steve wilson)
Links
to essays in art & technology
Research
on motion, gesture, haptics
Research
on activated objects
CIA links to sources in electronics, sensors, etc - http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~infoarts/links/wilson.electron.interfaces.html