First and foremost, this course will be about the interaction of different ways of thinking, as exhibited by multi-disciplinary teams - the visual and product designers on the one hand, and technology innovators on the other hand.

This course will also be about the interaction of different ways of doing, as the consequence of the different ways of thinking exhibited in cross-disciplinary teams.

This course will also be about the interaction of ideas- ideas about usability, functionality, ergonomics, problem solving, style, and aesthetics.

Finally, this course will also be about the interaction of computational capabilities and physical, everyday objects.

This course will try to create an environment within which cross-disciplinary teams will explore the ramifications of adding computation intelligence to everyday objects while striving to understand what value such a process might hold for such "empowered" objects. What value does adding computational power to a pen create? What value can be created by adding such power to a block of paper, or to eyeglasses, or shirts, or chairs? Or what might happen if a computer mouse becomes intelligent? On another note, what might happen if a room, or other space inhabited by people, becomes computationally "empowered"?

By value, we mean ways to enhance the functionality, usability, and "enjoyabilty" of an object, and in the process, enhancing the capabilities of those who use such objects. By capabilities we mean a mix of cognitive and physical performance parameters.

All this we do under the philosophy that believes that the design process should be one where Problems lead to Products, and not the creation of Products that go looking for Problems to solve.

During the course students will learn about recent development in embedded computing, including micro-controller programming and uses of digital and analog I/O to learn about the world as well as to act upon the world. This knowledge will be utilized in a process of defining, designing, and developing an empowered object or space.

Tuesdays, 14:00 - 17:00 Levy 7 in Givat Ram *
Tuesdays, 14:00 - 17:00 XXX, in Bezalel Sweig *

* [See Lecture Schedule for the location and subject matter of each meeting.]

Prof. Scott Kirkpatrick
Office Hours: Sunday, 13:00 - 15:00, Ross 81

Amnon Dekel
Office Hours: By appointment and via email

There is a newsgroup for the course, local.course.postPC, intended for free discussion among the students.

The course mailbox, postPC@cs.huji.ac.il, is open to your questions, remarks, requests, wishes, and complaints. You may also use email to postPC for submitting assignments.

Please do not send course-related e-mail to my personal mailbox.