H79.2520 Lecture 4 Credits
Instructor(s): Moeslinger
We perceive the world around us through sensory impressions. Sight, sound, touch, smell and taste together contribute to how we understand and experience our surroundings. Conventional input and output for interactive media has made very limited use of our sensory system. As ubiquitous computing expands and applications for interactivity extend to more atmospheric realms, so does the potential for more multi-sensory design. Our goal is to expand the palette of interaction design to more fully engage our sensory apparatus. A particular focus will be on the aesthetic possibilities of such multi-sensory design. We will look at our senses in various combinations, examining how they closely interact and relate with one another. While smell and taste may not necessarily be directly evoked, it is possible to inspire these through a curious combination of audio-visual and tactile stimuli. A series of small assignments, each with a different sensory focus, some of them involving electronics, some not, will be followed by a more resolved final project.
Prerequisites: H79.2301 Introduction to Physical Computing and H79.2025 Materials and Building Strategies (or equivalent experience).
