H79.2624 Lecture 4 Credits
Instructor(s): Roberts
This class is designed to equip the student with a basic knowledge of mechanical engineering, materials, and component selection for practical use. From kinetic sculptures to modern architecture, from product design to interactive art, learning how to create sound mechanical interfaces between inputs and outputs to a system helps us interpret and interact with our environments. There is little use in building effective circuitry for physical computing if the mechanism to be controlled is too weak to handle the task set forth for it. Systems can also be optimized and protected from expensive overengineering with a basic knowledge of mechanics and materials. Topics covered range from how to attach couplers and shafts to a motor to converting between rotary and linear motion. Weekly lectures are supplemented by in class demos and out of class lab work.
