CS 5789-001 Spring 2019 Emb Sys & Kinetic Art

Embedded Systems and Kinetic Art:

Motion, Sound, and Light

Instructors: Erik Brunvand (School of Computing) and Wendy Wischer (Department of Art and Art History)

Course Numbers: This course is cross-listed for Spring 2019 as CS5789, ART4455, and SCLPT4455

When: Spring Semester 2019, T-Th 3:40-5:00p

Where: We'll meet in the Art building, sometimes in the Art 158 lecture room, and sometimes in the Sculpt 178 sculpture studio. Look at the course schedule for details. 
(There's an interactive map of campus located here if you don't know where the Art building is...)

One of the main purposes of this joint class is to help students understand the notion of creative problem solving both in engineering and the arts. We all can appreciate interesting art and good design when we see it, and appreciate things (both computer-related and art-related) that exhibit excellence in design and concept. But how do good artists and designers learn to be good? We hope that this course is one step along that journey.

From the Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) side we encourage students to apply their technical skills in a context that is explicitly non-technical. This can allow students the freedom to try a wide range of approaches to a particular problem. In the process, engineers are exposed to a variety of aesthetic and creative concepts that would not normally be part of an engineering curriculum. Artists explore programming and engineering in a context that is more conducive to their learning style because it is directed at art-making. Both groups of students gain practical experience in design-thinking which is quite distinct from the computational thinking that is usually more associated with CSE.

Course Schedule

This collaborative course is constantly evolving, so the schedule may be changing from week to week as the course evolves... Things are roughly color-coded: lectures are in black, project critiques are in purple, discussions of readings are in blue, Work days are in orange, and other activities are in green. 

Note that we will primarily meet in two different space: Art 158 lecture room and Sculpt 178 Sculpture Studio. These two rooms are color-coded in the schedule. Make sure you know where we'll be on any given class day! 

Course Description

Kinetic sculpture is art that contains moving parts or depends on motion, sound, or light for its effect. The kinetic aspect is often regulated using microcontrollers  connected to motors, actuators, transducers, and sensors that enable the sculpture to move and react to its environment.

An embedded system is a special-purpose computer system (microcontroller) designed to perform one or a few dedicated functions, often reacting to environmental sensors. It is embedded into a complete device including hardware and mechanical parts rather than being a separate computer system.

Kinetic art using embedded control is a marriage of art and technology. Artistic sensibility is required for concept and planning, and engineering skill is required to realize the artistic vision. In this project-based class computer engineering students will work together with art students to build collaborative kinetic art pieces. Students will explore interfacing of embedded systems with sensors and actuators of all sorts, along with real-time/interactive programming techniques and interrupt driven system design. You will also explore physical and conceptual aspects of machine-making as a sculpture process.

Connecting to Data implies a connection between the artwork developed, and some sort of data that mediates its behavior. We want to focus on kinetic art that draws upon, or reacts to, or modulates, or is otherwise connected to data. This could be as simple as using real-time sensors to capture data about the environment in which the artwork lives, or as complex as performing detailed data analysis to drive the kinetic behavior, or any number of other ways that data can be used as a fundamental element in the work.

We will start with individual projects, and then finish with group projects that include both artists and engineers. We want to make kinetic art that is interesting sculpture in its own right, and that involves data of some sort in its conception or behavior. This is a cross between an engineering class (embedded system design and programming) and a studio art class (designing and building the sculptures) with all students participating fully in both areas.

Readings

A page with links to a large variety of readings on kinetic art theory and practice can be found here. We won't require them all! But, the required readings can be found here, along with a number of other suggestions that you might find interesting. 

Sketchbook

You will need to purchase a small sketchbook for this class. You'll use this to record various assignments, record your responses to the readings, and sketch designs for your projects. A sketchbook is a great way to get into the design/art aspects of the course, and is something that all artists do.

Ideally you should buy a sketchbook that's easy to carry around most places with you. One example that we like is the Moleskine Cahier 5x8.25 journal. It's small, thin, light, but with nice quality paper. Your sketchbook should have plain unlined good quality paper. The University Bookstore has a number of choices. Dick Blick in Sugarhouse is another good spot, or online. 

We expect a page a day in your sketchbook related in some way to this class. Remember, not every page needs to be a masterpiece, but we want you to get in the habit of drawing/writing/composing in your sketchbook every day. We also hope that you'll use your sketchbook for inspiration, ideas, planning, prototyping, etc. for your projects.

• Here's a link to Carol Sogard's "Sketch School" for inspiration. 

Arduino/Programming Skills

This class will assume some programming background so that you can quickly get up to speed with Arduino-style physical computing. Physical computing means working with sensor input and actuator output in a computing system. Arduino is a C-based programming platform that is designed to be easy to interface to physical sensors and actuators.

If you have some programming background, the extension to physical computing should be straightforward, and we'll talk about sensors and actuators in class. If you have no programming experience, you'll get some in this class! You can also check out on-line Arduino programming resources such as: 

• https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/HomePage 
• http://www.ladyada.net/learn/arduino/ 
• https://www.tutorialspoint.com/arduino/ 
• https://www.makerspaces.com/arduino-uno-tutorial-beginners/ 

On this page from a previous version of this course you'll find a collection of links that you may find useful...  

Grading Percentages

Grading Information

For grades that are entered a a number, the following ranges correspond to letter grades: 

A – EXCELLENT - Excellent work, mastered technical skills and conceptual ideas

1. There is a highly successful use of the elements of design. The materials, media and presentation are used effectively to express the conceptual idea or theme.
2. The conceptual topic is unmistakably integrated with the work and exhibits well-informed decision making and intention.
3. The form, materials and concept clearly demonstrates an original vision and innovative ideas and/or risk taking.

B – ABOVE AVERAGE - Above average, skillful use of materials combined with a good concept

1. There is a generally successful use of the elements of design. The work demonstrates skillful technical competence and use of materials, media and presentation but the technical aspects and communication of ideas may not always work together.
2. The conceptual topic is easily interpreted and shows evidence of thoughtful decision making and intention. 
3. The form, materials and concept demonstrate, in part, original vision and innovative ideas and/or risk taking.

C – AVERAGE - Average, competent execution of craftsmanship and ideas with no outstanding qualities

1. There is moderate use of the elements of design and conceptual intention, but the application of these ideas is not always successful. The work demonstrates competent execution of materials, media and presentation but the technical aspects do not always work together or appear unfinished with no outstanding qualities and little attention to detail.
2. Some clear decision making and intention are evident.
3. The form, materials and concept include some imaginative ideas. The piece may show engagement with experimentation, but with uneven success.

D – BELOW AVERAGE - Below average, poor execution of ideas with little or no attention to detail

1. There is fair to poor use of the elements of design and conceptual intention and the work is limited overall.
2. Decision making and intention are questionable.
3. The work is uneven, and overall it demonstrates emerging technical competence, use of materials, media and presentation and the conceptual idea is difficult to identify. The work appears unfinished and lacks attention to detail.

E – POOR - Work is deficient in all areas

1. Little to no awareness of the elements of design, and the concept is not evident.
2. The work lacks discernible intention, originality or imagination.
3. Use of the materials, media, and presentation are naïve and lacking in skill or technical competence. Conceptual ideas or theme is not communicated. Work is clearly unfinished.

College of Engineering Semester Guidelines

Spring semester guidelines for College of Engineering students can be found here. 

Faculty and Student Responsibilities  

All students are expected to maintain professional behavior in the classroom setting, according to the Student Code (Policy 6-400), spelled out in the Student Handbook. Students have specific rights in the classroom as detailed in Article III of the Code. The Code also specifies proscribed conduct (Article XI) that involves cheating on tests, plagiarism, and/or collusion, as well as fraud, theft, etc. Students should read the Code carefully and know they are responsible for the content. According to Faculty Rules and Regulations (Policy 6-316), it is the faculty responsibility to enforce responsible classroom behaviors, beginning with verbal warnings and progressing to dismissal from class and a failing grade. Students have the right to appeal such action to the Student Behavior Committee.

Americans with Disabilities Act

The University of Utah Department of Art and Art History seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities.  If you need accommodations in this class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the instructor and to the Center for Disability Services, http://disability.utah.edu/ 162 Olpin Bldg, 801-581-5020 (V/TDD) to make arrangements for accommodations.   All information in this course can be made available in alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services (www.hr.utah.edu/oeo/ada/guidefaculty). 

Wellness Statement

Personal concerns such as stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, depression, cross-cultural differences, etc., can interfere with a student’s ability to succeed and thrive at the University of Utah.  For helpful resources contact the Center for Student Wellness; www.wellness.utah.edu; 801-581-7776.

Addressing Sexual Misconduct

Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender (which Includes sexual orientation and gender identity/expression) is a civil rights offense subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to offenses against other protected categories such as race, national origin, color, religion, age, status as a person with a disability, veteran’s status or genetic information.  If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you are encouraged to report it to the Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, 135 Park Building, 801-581-8365, or the Office of the Dean of Students, 270 Union Building, 801-581-7066.  For support and confidential consultation, contact the Center for Student Wellness, 426 SSB, 801-581-7776.  To report to the police, contact the Department of Public Safety, 801-585-2677(COPS).

Content Statement

Some of the information presented in lectures, presentations and critiques may include material that conflicts with the core beliefs of some students.  Since most of the art work we will see this semester will be new to both the audience and the instructor, there will be no practical way to predict which artworks or presentations (and the discussions that follow) might conflict with the individual values of each student.  This is a workshop course involving the production of art and the feedback given to each student is essentially the text for this course and the reason most, if not all, of the students take the course.  We will not be able to avoid talking about things that may be uncomfortable.  Consider carefully the nature of this course before committing to taking it.  Bear in mind that your fellow students and the instructor have no way to make an informed decision about which art works or comments might be a problem for you.

Social Media

Class time, especially during critiques, is a safe space where students can experiment and take risks with both their artworks and their comments about art, readings, discussions, etc…

No posting to social media is allowed during class unless the specific artwork uses social media as part of the process and this is expressly stated and requested by the artist. If you are interested in posting images of artwork to social media, both yours and that of your classmates, please wait until after class is over to ensure you are not being disruptive and remain engaged, and then only with permission from the artist of that work.