Fachmodul
Garbage In, Garbage Out: Cybernetic Sensor and Actor Systems in the Built Environment
Instructor: Jason Reizner
Credits: 6 ECTS, 4 SWS
Capacity: max. 15 students (see registration information below)
Language: English
Date: Tuesday, Lecture 13:30 to 15:00, Lab 15:15 to 16:45
Location: Marienstr. 7b, Room 103
First Meeting: Tuesday, 11 April 2017, 13:30
Description
While the emergence of the internet of everything and mobile computing have made discussion of the 'smart city' au courant, the underlying concept of cybernetic urbanism is itself nearly a half-century old. With a view towards Wiener's model of cybernetic systems, this module introduces participants to the fundamental structure of the control loop and its constituent components: sensors, actors and controllers. Examining how these archetypes can be realized through contemporary technologies, this module explores the application of feedback systems to not only acquire data from urban infrastructures, but affect change within them. This module provides an experimental setting to explore the deployment and use of optoelectric, electrochemical, mechanical, thermal and magnetic sensors, as well as the interface, networking and processing systems necessary to support them. Participants will gain insight into current methodologies for signal processing and data analysis, with a special focus on the codification, visualization and physicalization of information through actors in the built environment.
Admission requirements
Previous enrollment in an IFD course offering, or with instructor permission.
Registration procedure
Media Art and Design MFA Program:Registration through the official Faculty Modulbörse/Kurswahl on 3-4 April 2017
Due to organizational issues with the Faculty of Art and Design registration procedure, this module was not listed on official course selection sheets. Candidates from MAD/MKG should register with the instructor directly by email using the process listed below under 'Other Programs'.
Other Programs (MediaArchitecture, HCI, International Exchange et.c.):
Send an Email with a letter of motivation to jason.reizner [ät] uni-weimar.de before 8 April 2017
Evaluation
Successful completion of the course is dependent on regular attendance, active participation, completion of weekly assignments and delivery of a relevant semester project. Please refer to the Evaluation Rubric for more details.
Eligible participants
Fachmodul:
MFA Medienkunst/-gestaltung, MFA Media Art and Design, MSc MediaArchitecture
Syllabus (subject to change)
11 April
Week 1
Introduction
Course Organization
Administrative Housekeeping
Semester Evaluation Rubric
Assignment
18 April
Week 2
Wherever you are, there you are: Ubiquitous, Pervasive and Context-based Computing
Big Data vs. Little Information
Sources and Links from the Lecture
Assignment
Semester Project Overview
25 April
Week 3
A History of Cybernetics
Sources and Links from the Lecture
Assignment
2 May
Week 4
Introduction to Microcontrollers and Embedded Systems
Sources and Links from the Lecture
Assignment
Abridged List of Electronic Component Vendors
9 May
Week 5
No Class - Architectural Intelligence Workshop
16 May
Week 6
Garbage In: Sensors
Sources and Links from the Lecture
Assignment
23 May
Week 7
Garbage Out: Actors
Sources and Links from the Lecture
Assignment
30 May
Week 8
Together at Last: Building Prototypes with Sensors and Actors
Sources and Links from the Lecture
Assignment
6 June
Week 9
Midterm Presentations
13 June
Week 10
Excursion: Field Test and Data Acquisition
Sources and Links from the Lecture
Assignment
20 June
Week 11
Data Evaluation, Mediation and Visualization
Sources and Links from the Lecture
Assignment
27 June
Week 12
Wired and Wireless Networking Methodologies
Sources and Links from the Lecture
Assignment
4 July
Week 13
No Class - xCoAx2017 Lisboa
11 July
Week 14
Debug Lab
18 July
Week 15
Final Presentations