CS 5789-001 Spring 2024 Emb Sys & Kinetic Art
Embedded Systems and Kinetic Art:
Lights, Speed, Action!
(Light, Sensors, and Motion)
Instructors: Erik Brunvand, Professor, Kahlert School of Computing
When: Spring Semester 2024, M-W 11:50am-1:10pm
Where: Merrill Engineering Building (MEB) 3105
We'll also use the Senior HW Lab MEB 3143
This is a CS course number, but is actually primarily an Art course where we will study how technology can be a foundation for artistic expression. We will study this primarily through actually making art using technology as a medium, and also through reading about technology and art, and considering and critiquing work produced in the class. One goal 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.
In this class 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. Through this experience you should gain practical experience in design-thinking which is related to, but quite distinct from the computational thinking that is usually more associated with Computer Science and Engineering.
Course Schedule
This course is constantly evolving, so the schedule may change from week to week as the semester unfolds. Things are roughly color-coded: lectures are highlighted in grey, in-class project critiques are in purple, discussions of readings are in blue, written critiques are in red. Both the reading responses and written critiques will involve writing those responses in your sketchbook.
| Week | Monday | Wednesday | Friday |
| 1: 1/8 - 1/12 |
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2: |
Martin Luther King Jr. Day No Class |
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| 3: 1/22 - 1/26 |
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| 4: 1/29 - 2/2 |
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Written Critique |
| 5: 2/5 - 2/9 |
Prof. Brunvand out of town | Prof Brunvand out of town | |
| 6: 2/12 - 2/16 |
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| 7: 2/19 - 2/23 |
President's Day No class |
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Written Critique |
| 8: 2/26 - 3/1 |
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| 9: 3/4 - 3/8 |
Spring Break | Spring Break | |
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10: |
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| 11: 3/18 - 3/22 |
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Written Critique | |
| 12: 3/25 - 3/29 |
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| 13: 4/1 - 4/5 |
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Final Project ideas |
| 14: 4/8 - 4/12 |
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Written Critique |
| 15: 4/15 - 4/19 |
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| 16: 4/22 |
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Reading Day No Class |
Final Project |
| Friday 4/26: 10:30-12:30 FInal Project Presentation and Critique |
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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 students will work together 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.
Because of the class size and wanting to have in-class critiques of the projects, all projects will be group projects with randomly assigned groups (different groups for each project). Groups for the final project can be self-selected, and the final project can also be in individual project if you choose. We want to make kinetic art that is interesting sculpture in its own right, and that involves technology 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.
There is no required text for this course, but these course notes for a "course" I developed for the SIGGRAPH conference on physical computing may be helpful if you haven't built a lot of electronic widgets.
I also, along with my TA Nina McCurdy, developed some course notes for a course on Sound Art that you might find useful when we work with sound as a medium. It includes information about using Audacity, an open source sound editing application.
Sketchbook
You will be provided with 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.
We suggest a page a day in your sketchbook related in some way to this class, but it's up to you (other than the required reading responses and critiques). Remember, not every page needs to be a masterpiece, but it's interesting 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.
On this page from a previous version of this course you'll find a collection of links that you may find useful...
Grading Percentages
| Individual Assignments: 30% | ||
| Reading Responses | 15% | Drop two lowest scores |
| Critiques | 15% | |
| Team Projects: 45% | ||
| Systematic Drawing (Processing) | 11.25% | Algorithmic drawing using Processing |
| Arduino / Sensor / Motion | 11.25% | Moving/kinetic sculpture |
| Sound Art | 11.25% | Art with sound as the primary medium |
| Paper / LED / Sound | 11.25% | Hand-made paper with electronic inclusions |
| Final Team Project: 25% | 25% |
Your own project based on what you've learned |
| Total: 100% |
Grading Information
For grades that are entered a a number, the following ranges correspond to letter grades:
Rubric for grading 3D, Sculptural and New Media artwork
A – EXCELLENT - Excellent work, mastered technical skills and conceptual ideas
- 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.
- The conceptual topic is unmistakably integrated with the work and exhibits well-informed decision making and intention.
- 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
- 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.
- The conceptual topic is easily interpreted and shows evidence of thoughtful decision making and intention.
- 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
- 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.
- Some clear decision making and intention are evident.
- 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
- There is fair to poor use of the elements of design and conceptual intention and the work is limited overall.
- Decision making and intention are questionable.
- 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
- Little to no awareness of the elements of design, and the concept is not evident.
- The work lacks discernible intention, originality or imagination.
- 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 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.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
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