Syllabus

Physical Interfaces and Network Devices

Physical Interfaces and Networked Devices
Prof Scott Fitzgerald
shf220@nyu.edu
Spring 2019

Meeting days : Friday 10:30-2:10
Office Number: MAGNET 882
Office Hours : By appointment

This course explores the potential upsides and pitfalls in designing physical interfaces for networked devices. In class, students will create physical objects that talk to each other over distance. Physical, virtual, and social communication infrastructure will be used in the context of creating novel devices. Students will also identify existing networked devices and objects, taking a critical look at their implementation from both a technical and social standpoint. While there are no pre-requisites for the course, students are strongly encouraged to have some exposure to programming, electronics, or working with sensors. 

Learning Outcomes:
Students will :

  • develop conceptual thinking skills to generate ideas and content in order to solve problems or create opportunities.
  • develop technical skills with network connected microcontrollers to realize their ideas.
  • develop critical thinking skills that will allow them to analyze and position their work within cultural, historic, aesthetic, economic, and technological contexts.
  • gain knowledge of professional practices and organizations by developing their verbal, visual, and written communication for documentation and presentation.
  • develop collaboration skills to actively and effectively work in a team or group.

Teaching and Learning Methodology:
Your in-class participation counts towards your grade. This means you are expected to be actively engaged in class discussions, attentive to other students, and mentally present in the classroom and on excursions.

Communication
We have a class slack which you should all check frequently throughout the week. Readings will be posted there, and it is the preferred means to communicate with the instructor. I may miss an email for a week, but I’ll see a slack DM in a matter of hours.

In addition to Slack, this website is a hub for the course. You will post to it, and your weekly assignments will be listed here. Changes to the syllabus and weekly schedule can be found here.

We also have a github repo for the class. Code and circuit diagrams will be posted there weekly.

Production assignments
There will be weekly production assignments that involve you building physical prototypes or programming software. You should be prepared to show work every week.

Online journal
You are expected to contribute to our shared journal for this class. This will be your repository for research, thoughts and reactions to the readings, documentation of your projects, and a place for you to comment and critique each other’s work.

Any responses to readings must be finished 24 hours before class. That is, post it by Thursday morning. Take the time to read and comment on each other’s responses, so that we can have a well informed discussion in class.

In-class participation
You are expected to attend every class and actively engage in all discussions, exercises, and activities. Failure to participate in discussions and demonstrate that the readings have been completed will affect the participation component of your grade.

You are expected to pay attention to your peer’s work and presentations in class. This means that you should afford each other the same courtesy you would expect when you’re presenting.

  • More than one unexcused absence will result in a lower final grade (a B+ would become a B).
  • More than three unexcused absences will result in failure. If you’re going to be late or absent, let me know in advance.
  • If you have an emergency, please let me know as soon as possible.
  • If you miss a class session for any reason, you are still responsible for making up the material covered.
  • If you are on your phone, and it is not part of a course assignment, you will be given an unexcused absence. I strongly suggest you keep them hidden far from your hands during class time.

Midterm project
You will produce a hardware and software production project where you develop a device that communicates with an online server. The specifics of the project need to be discussed with the professor in advance.

You will work in pairs on this project.

Final Project
You will produce a hardware and software production project where you develop a fully realized pair (or more) of networked devices. The specifics of the project need to be discussed with the professor in advance.

You may work in pairs or individually on this project.

Online journal : 20%
Production assignments : 20%
Participation : 20%
Final project : 25%
Midterm project : 15%

Required Reading
All readings will be provided as PDFs or online links.

Recommended Readings

  • Rowland, Goodman, Charlier, Light & Lui. Designing Connected Projects, O’Reilly, 2015.
  • Faludi, Robert. Building Wireless Sensor Networks, O’Reilly, 2011.
  • Barabási, Albert-László. Linked: The New Science Of Networks Science Of Networks, Basic Books, 2014
  • Barabási, Albert-László. Network Science Book
  • Igoe, Tom. Making Things Talk 3nd Edition. O’Reilly Media/Make, 2017
  • Comer, Douglas. Computer Networks and Internets 6th ed. Pearson, 2014
  • Galloway, Alex. Protocol. MIT Press 2004
  • Terranova, Tiziana. Network Culture: Politics for the Information Age, Pluto Press, 2004.
  • Castells, Manuel. The Rise of the Network Society, The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture, Vol. I. 2nd Ed. Cambridge, MA; Oxford, UK: Blackwell, 2000

Required hardware
You need to have, at minimum, the following items before class on Feb 8:

There are many many parts you may want to work with like sensors and actuators, but it’s best to hold off on buying that until you know what you want to use. If you’re really raring to go, I’d suggest getting this kit. It will have the microcontroller and a bunch of sensors and switches and LEDs, but you’ll still need to get the breadboard and USB cable. You can also ask Scott about a great many different kinds of things you can use.

The IDM Fab Lab will have a bunch of basics for you to work with : LEDs, wire, resistors, transistors, capacitors, etc. You are free to use these tools, but if you’re going to be building something of significant scope, you should get your own materials.

If you get really into prototyping with electronics, you can get some hand tools and other equipment, but again, it’s best to ask about what you need.

Methodology
Each class will start with a discussion based on readings, or presentation of student work. You are expected to always be prepared to show any work you have done, and come with questions and/or opinions about readings.

The other half of class will cover new material, often in the form of technical lectures, design exercises, and in class demonstrations. There will be at least one or two guest lectures, possibly more depending on speaker availability.

Please bring a laptop (not a phone or tablet) to class.

Academic Accommodations 
If you are student with a disability who is requesting accommodations, please contact New York University’s Moses Center for Students with Disabilities at 212-998-4980 or mosescsd@nyu.edu. You must be registered with CSD to receive accommodations. Information about the Moses Center can be found at http://www.nyu.edu/csd. The Moses Center is located at 726 Broadway on the 2nd floor.