MYMUP/EID
111 Design, Illusion and Reality
Robotics and
Theater
SAMPLE SYLLABUS
Week
1:
Carl Weiman
presents Introduction to Robotics
- Myth
vs. Reality
- Holism
vs. Reductionism
- Control
vs. Out-of-Control
- Bibliography
on website
- Adrianne
Wortzel presents Introductions and Announcements, description
of the course, process, requirements, and expectations:
- A
completed project in the form of models, scenarios, script,
drawings, descriptions, web site, etc.
- Ongoing
journal with weekly documentation in the form of a web site
or notebook, consisting of reference quotes, original text and
imagery (drawing, photo, video, collage, animation etc.)
- A
formal final report along with the final model and drawings.
- Delivery
of all documentation of your groups project, using electronic
media
-
Demo
of class website for assignments, information and class project
administration
-
Introduction
of all the class participants
-
Film
in class: Fast, Cheap & Out of Control
Assigned
reading:
-
Hofstadter, Douglas R.; Dennett, Daniel C. (Editors) ; The Mind's
I, Fantasies and Reflections on Self and Soul, Basic
Books, New York, 1981.
-
Selection 16, pp 253-268, excerpt from Software, Rudy Rucker,
Avon Books, New York, 1982.
-
Capek, Karel; R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robot), 1923, Oxford
Univ Press, London, 1961.
Prepare
a response to be presented in the next class: that reflects
a comparison between the texts and the film Fast, Cheap & Out
of Control. This can be done by written text or image or whatever
medium you find appropriate.
Week
2:
Carl Weiman presents The
Metaphor of Robot in Art and Science.
- Illustrations
from literature and film.
- Hero
and Villain
- Pet
and Monster
- God
and Devil
- Human
and Superman
- Illustrations
from industry
- Worker
- Artisan
- Surgeon
- Machine
- Thinker
- Weapon
-
A
3 minute verbal presentation of student responses to the assignments.
-
Open
class critique. Discussion of robots as metaphor, as symbol, as
structure, as form, as function, as narrative. Discussion of the
human body in relation to artificial constructed bodies.
Assignment
for Class 3:
Assigned viewing: Videotape Death
by Design
Assigned reading: Engelberger, Robotics in Service,
Flyleaf, Preface, & Chapters 1, 2, 3 (through page 44).
Prepare a response to be presented in the next class: What
is a robot? Your response can be written text or image or whatever
medium you find appropriate.
Week
3:
-
Carl
Weiman presents: TechTools: Components and Techno-anatomy
-
Power, weight, form, function, capability, brains, aircraft
design analogy
-
Students
give 3 minute verbal presentation of research and responses to assignment,
open class discussion
Assignment
for Class 4:
-
Assigned
Reading:
-
Engelberger,
Robotics in Service, Chapters 4, 5.
-
Hofstadter
& Dennett, The Mind's I, (to be selected)
-
Hofstadter,
Goedel, Escher, Bach, (to be selected)
-
Develop
an individual proposal for the robot project you would like
to develop in this class.
-
Adrianne
Wortzel Presents Robots in Theatrical Presentations
-
Carl
Weiman presents TechTools: Controls and Sensors
-
Students
give 5 minute project presentation to the class, open class discussion.
Decide on the basis of these presentations who you would like to
work with. Form groups. Discuss within groups the research, rough
ideas of what you want to do.Work in class. Professors circulate
among groups and critique and discuss projects.
-
Assignment
for Class 5: Decide the topic you will to develop
during the semester.
Meet with your group to produce the following:
-
Describe
your idea for the proposal
in writing. Think about characteristics of the robot, and the function
of your project
-
Complete
an outline/drawing/model of your proposed project, i.e., as a sketch
with an example worked out.
Assigned
Reading:
"Borges and I" by Jorge Luis Borges, pp. 19-22 in The Mind's
Eye
"Rediscovering the Mind" by Harold J. Morowitz, pp. 34-49
in The Mind's Eye
"The Princess Ineffabelle" by Stanislaw Lem, pp. 96-99 in
The Mind's Eye
-
Carl
Weiman presents Freedom and Control, Chaos and Out-of-Control
-
Students
present 5 minute project proposal (and schedule) of your groupÕs
project, open class discussio
Assignment
for Class 6: Storyboard, drawings and a paper
model of your project and individual assignments for each group
Week
6:
-
Adrianne
Wortzel presents MOO (Multi-Used Dungeons and Dragons (MUDD)
, Object Oriented) theater demonstration
-
5
minute project presentation of storyboard and drawings, open class
discussion
Assignment
for Class 7:
Storyboard, drawings
and a paper model of your project and individual assignments for each
group
Assigned Reading: To be determined
Week
7:
-
Students
give 5 minute project presentation to the class, open class discussion
-
Student
teams work in class, professors circulate among groups and critique
and discuss projects.
Assignment
for Class 8: Individual assignments for each
group
Assigned
Reading: To be determined
Week
8:
-
10
minute midterm presentations with materials and worked out examples:
including drawings, models, electronic imagery, storyboard, texts
etc.)
-
Critiques
by instructors and by a guest (to be announced)
Assignment
for Class 9: Individual assignments: readings
from bibliography, writings, and exhibitions and sites to see
Assigned Reading: To be determined
Week
9:
-
Reading
seminar - Group 1: discussion of readings assigned in week 7
-
Discussion:
the soul and personality of the robot
-
Work
in class. Professors circulate among groups and critique and discuss
projects.
Assignment
for Class 10: Individual assignments for each group
Assigned Reading: To be determined
Week
10
-
5
minute student project presentation to the class, open class discussion
-
Reading
seminar - Group 2: discussion of readings assigned in week 7
-
Work
in class. Professors circulate among groups and critique and discuss
projects.
Assignment
for Class 11: Individual assignments for each
group
Assigned Reading: To be determined
Week
11:
-
5
minute project presentation to the class, open class discussion
-
Reading
seminar - Group 3: discussion of readings assigned in week 7
-
Discussion:
Robots in movies
-
Work
in class. Professors circulate among groups and critique and discuss
projects.
Assignment
for Class 12: Individual assignments for each
group
Assigned Reading: To be determined
Week
12:
-
5
minute project presentation to the class, open class discussion
-
Reading
seminar - Group 4: discussion of readings assigned in week 7
-
Discussion:
Robots in movies
-
Work
in class. Professors circulate among groups and critique and discuss
projects.
Assignment
for Class 13: Individual assignments for each
group
Week
13:
Assignment
for Class 14: Individual assignments for each
group
Week
14:
Final
Presentation to the class and guests. Critique.
Week
15:
DOCUMENTATION
CLASS all deliverables due.
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