Physical Computing

Spring 2008

Professor: Chris Vecchio, PhD
cvecchio at temple.edu
267 991 4204

Teaching Assistant: Jon Olshefski
jolshefs at temple.edu

Text Books:

What's a Microcontroller (PDF)
Physical Computing

Class Notes:

Intro to Physical Computing (22 Jan 2008, PDF)
Intro to electronics (24 Jan 2008, PDF)
Intro to electronics continued (29 Jan 2008, PDF)
Sensors and Programming (5 February 2008, PowerPoint)
Transducers - lights, sound, motion (7 February 2008, PDF)
Transistors & Relays: Controlling Higher Power Devices (12 February 2008, PDF)
Misc. topics, soldering, more on diodes (19 February 2008, PDF)
Circuit bending, off the shelf interfacing, "ping" distance sensor (21 February 2008, PDF)
Soldering, more on interfacing, serial communications (26 February 2008, PDF)
Infrared Communications, more on serial communications (28 February 2008, PDF)
I2C communications, more on Infrared communications (4 March 2008, PDF)
SPI and the H48C Accelerometer, Transistors as Amplifiers, and intro to MaxMSP (18 March 2008, PDF)
MIDI in MaxMSP, BS2 to MaxMSP communications, video playback with imovie (20 March 2008, PDF)
MaxMSP to BS2 communications, audio processing in MaxMSP (25 March 2008, PDF)
Intro to Jitter (8 April 2008, PDF)

How to make a BASIC Stamp piggyback connector board.
Interfacing to the PCF8591 I2C A/D D/A converter
The easy way to connect an analog sensor to a Parallax BASIC Stamp (no A/D needed!)

MaxMSP demonstration patches

Physical computing provides an introduction to applied robotics and basic electronics with a focus on creating interactive electronic devices and environments for visual art, theater, and performance. The course also includes an introduction to the use of the MaxMSP software package for creating interactive audio and video systems. Physical computing offers a new approach to media art presentation: whether viewed as interactive sculpture, live video installation, wearable devices, or responsive environments. Physical Computing allows students to experiment with how media can respond to physical and environmental input, and how generative behaviors, mingling live events and synthetic responses, can become part of our media expression.

The role of the computer “user” typically involves manipulation of a mouse and keyboard to access a screen-based experience. When, instead of the mouse-wielding hand, the body’s actions trigger sensors, new possibilities arise for the relationship between bodies, computers and media. Both direct and indirect gestures may begin to drive computer response; subtle physical and environmental dynamics may generate sound and image events.

Working “outside the box” using simple microcontrollers and Max/MSP/Jitter software, this class introduces students to making simple sensor circuits that “talk” and “listen” to the computer. The class will present simplified steps to technical aspects of physical computing, easing the learning curve and focusing attention on the concept and content of physical/media relationships. Students will be challenged to visualize new correspondences between the virtual world of digital media and the physical world of bodies and spaces.

Physical Computing
Temple university school of communications and theater
film and media arts

Philadelphia
Chris Vecchio
Christopher Vecchio
Physical Computing, electronics for artists, circuit bending, 8 bit, 8bit, eight bit,
contemporary art, electronic art, new media, kinetic art, installation art, engineering,
earth works, earthworks, environmental installation, environmental installations,
site specific installation, an orchid in the land of technology, Walter Benjamin, environmental art,
Pavlov Video Chicken One
www.noisemantra.com