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DESGN-6700-1: Elective: Tangible Interface Design

Fall 2022

Subject: Graduate Design
Type: Workshop
Delivery Mode: In-Person
Level: Graduate

Campus: San Francisco
Course Dates: August 31, 2022 — December 13, 2022
Meetings: Thu 4:00-07:00PM, Hubbell - 131
Instructors: Graham Plumb, Dave Elfving

Units: 3.0
Enrolled: 12/12 Waitlist

Description:

Hands are amazing. We rely on them every moment of the day and use them automatically - often without giving them a single thought. Yet most computer-based interactions almost completely ignore what our hands are capable of. Our touchscreens understand ‘tap’, ‘swipe’ or ‘pinch’, yet our hands can do so much more. Imagine if our digital interfaces could work the way we were used to interacting with the world around us, so information could be manipulated as simply as opening a door or tying our shoelaces. Now that would be amazing!
Tangible Interface Design teaches students how to design unique interfaces that engage their hands and minds at the same time, so our interactions with digital information can be made to feel more human. Students in this class will learn how to prototype tangible interfaces that empower collaboration, using a combination of physical making and digital design methodologies. We will also explore other modalities of hand-based interactions - such as gestural interface design which uses the human body as the interface. Students will also learn how to document their projects professionally, so their finished designs are ready for their portfolios. 
Example projects from previous classes:
Tangible Interface: Collaborative Tool for Magazine Editing.
Tangible Interface: Collaborative Tool for Chefs.
This is an interdisciplinary class. Anyone that is curious about combining the physical world with digital information will find the projects of interest. Experience with programming, designing in 3D, or making 3D objects are beneficial but are not a prerequisite.

Pre-Requisites and Co-Requisites:

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