#Physical Computing
IS53030
Instructor: Phoenix Perry Email: pperry@gold.ac.uk
About the class: Welcome to Physical Computing.
You can find the course description on the departmental website. Each class I might ask you to bring in seemingly non-sensical items. They will be critical to your lab projects so don't neglect them.
####Lectures and Labs In addition to your lectures from 3-4 on Tuesdays in RHB144, I present the course material in WB100 and we do labs there. You are expected to attend your assigned lab each week.
The course is separated into Lecture and Lab sections. You must attend the Lab Group section you are allocated to unless you make arrangements with me.
####Assessment
| Number | Type | Description | Due Date | Relative Weight| | :-------------:|:-------------:| :-----:| :-----:| :-----:| :-----:| :-----:| 1 | Major Project | Major Project and Project Logs | Your final lab session | 40% | 2 | Coursework | Online Report for Tasks 1-4 (average of two) | week by week | 30% 3| Participation | Participation (in class and in posts to online forums) | n/a | 20%| 4| Mid term Quiz | Mid-term Quiz | n/a | 10%
You must complete all of the above items for full credit, according to the following requirements:
The Major Project must represent a conceptual exploration of the intellectual material presented in this course. There will be essays and reading material throughout the term. The thinking there I care about the why, the what and the how in that order. You will be expected to present the project in an organized pdf presentation and you should think carefully as to why you choose a specific project.
Prepare the following to share in class during the last lab of the term:
- Set up the project. Tell us the story of why you are doing what you are doing. What are you investigating? What inspired you? What is the social context your project operates within?
- What challenges did you over come?
- At least three images of your project in progress.
- A 200-300 word write up detailing your objectives
- If appropriate, a video of your project with narrative voice over
- A Fritzing or other circuit diagram for your hardware
- Any code used in the project
- the working final project presentation (or video)
- What are the future possibilities for this project?
You will have roughly 10 minutes to explain your idea. Be concise.
The Major Project must also include your online project log. This blog should be updated as you work and can not be dumped online the night before. It must show a steady ongoing progression.
#####A note on realism. Physical computing takes time. Things break. Parts don't turn up as scheduled. Nothing works. You break a solder joint and you can't identify it. Plan for this. Really your project goal should be to complete the project by Week 8. If you aim for Week 8, you'll make it by Week 10. The rule of thumb is estimate the time you'll need. Double it. Now you have a realistic schedule.
Coursework (Lab Tasks 1-4) consists of lab tasks assigned each week. Your must submit your assignment on learn.gold, and it must include a video and diagrams. You are required to submit lab 1 and any of the remaining labs of your choosing, two in total.
Participation consists of not only turning up to class and labs, being active in lectures and discussions, and contributing to the online forums. These are requirements to get the very bare minimum pass.
I really care about your competence, your passion, your bravery, your curiosity, your civic spirit, your generosity, your critical questioning and your moral compass.
I take for granted you will successfully fulfill the objectives above which are measurable such as attendance, participation, doing your homework and presenting your projects. Do not let yourself down in these ways.
It is the other areas here that I am curious to watch you explore and begin to understand. Qualitative metrics are what will be the difference between a good grade and an exceptional mark.
The Mid-term quiz is completed online, in class, and is automatically marked upon completion. You must bring your laptop to this session in order to take the quiz. If you are unable to attend on the day, your absence must be approved by the Department of Computing in order for you to request a re-sit.
#####How your Labs will be marked: During Weeks 2-5, two of the four labs you have submitted will be marked. The first lab will be marked, along with an additional one of the remaining three labs. Your overall mark for coursework will be an average of your marks for these two labs.
You must submit your lab work by the Tuesday following the date it was assigned before 23:55. If your lab work for the previous week is not done, you will receive a 0 for that lab.
#####Guide to the marks:
80 - Exceeded what was discussed in class, evidence of external research, and exceeded assignment expectations 70 - Very good use of what is taught in the course and possible some small elements beyond it 60 - No so polished, may have missed some things but the work was done 50 - Some requirements not fulfilled/not fully completed. 40 - Warrants a pass, but not more. 0 - Didn't do the work or didn't submit it. Fail. Further criteria contributing to the mark:
QUALITY OF DOCUMENTATION Readable, dated, titled, evidence of progressive completion
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING Underlying physics, principles of microcontrollers, sensors and actuators, code
REQUIREMENTS/AIMS A clear statement of your aim(s)
DESIGN Schematics, code and any other hardware design
PROPER IMPLEMENTATION How the project was actually set-up
ADDITIONAL, SELF-MOTIVATED WORK Have you taken the work a bit further? Have you done more than what was asked for in the Task for that week? This is a good way to get a high mark.
#####How your Final Project will be marked: 70+ (1st) - Exceeded what was discussed in class, evidence of external research, and exceeded assignment expectations
60-70 (2.1) - Very good use of what is taught in the course and possible some small elements beyond it
50-60 (2.2) - No so polished, may have missed some things but the work was done
40-50 (3) - Some requirements not fulfilled/not fully completed. Warrants a pass, but not more.
Less than 40 - Fail
AMBITIOUSNESS(10%) The project was an ambitious undertaking.
PROJECTWEBSITE (30%) The project was thoroughly documented throughout the entire duration of the work and not simply added on at the end. All team members made significant contributions.
ENCLOSURE/BUILD (30%) The enclosure is appropriate for the project, protects it, is stable (won't fall apart), and is aesthetically pleasing.
QUALITY OF PRESENTATION (30%) The project idea was clearly communicated, challenges met were discussed, and solutions adequately described. The project was demonstrated live on the presentation day or a video was shown.
##Week by Week
Week 1
Intro to the course
Featured Interaction: Light it up
Start formulating your main project idea week by week. Don't wait begin to look at projects using arduino online and across the internet.
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Week 2: Sensors and Sound
-- Week 3: Inductors
-- Week 4
Present your main project idea in class (2 minutes)
-- Week 5
-- Week 6
-- Week 7
-- Week 8
Main Project check in report (2 minutes)
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Week 9
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Week 10
FINAL PRESENTATIONS OF MAIN PROJECTS IN CLASS
Your team must present your project presentation in class on the day of the Lab session you've been in while you've worked on this project.
ALSO: You must go to this link to submit your project website's URL:
https://www.doc.gold.ac.uk/dept/CourseSubmissions
Select IS53030A Physical Computing from the dropdown and then select Final Project.
Submit the URL to your project website here so that I will be able to find it. There will be a link published soon.
Deadline for this submission will be the at 11:55 the last day of the week of the last class.