- introduction topic(s) & challenge(s)
- brain storm(s) -- concept development
- planning -- concept & application development
- development scenario(s) & storyboard(s)
- workflow(s) -- asset development
- basic media & communication theory
- societal context of creative application(s)
- delivery and presentation of final application(s)
contents
The course is meant as an integrative project, with a special focus on the ubuquitous availability of screens outside the
workplace and personal home computer. Projects in this course concern finding creative solutions for interaction with this
multitude of screen displays.
Online reference(s):
Remark: If possible the project(s) will be executed in the Utwente VR facility, the T-Xchange-Cell: www.txchange.nl
with the goal of developing scenario-based serious games.
perequisite(s)
Completion of all first year courses
goal(s) & attainment target(s)
The integrative nature of the CA5 project will contribute to find useful and interesting ways to combine smart technology
and new media in novel applications.
The course aims at providing
- awareness of privacy and security issues when using public displays
- familiarity with developing concepts to facilitate interaction with non-computer screens
- fluency in content production workflow and project managent
- full literacy in applying learned skills to tackle problems in system and content development
Students are expected to be well-motivated, and will be stimulated in problem-finding and the exploration of creative
solutions.
place in curriculum:
integrative course in second year.
application area & motivating example(s)
Off-computer screen displays include big urban screens on public squares, as well as medium size screens in shopping
malls and lifts, as well as small screens that come with (mobile) gadgets or built-in consoles in buses or airplanes. To allow
for intelligent interaction these screens may moreover be equiped with sensors and bluetooth.
Interesting solutions are being developed, see online reference(s), that connect these screens with for example mobile
gadgets, to support new patterns of shopping, tourism and game playing.
teaching method(s)
The course will offer a selection of topics and projects, from which students may choose on the basis of their interest and
specialization. Students will be encouraged to work in small, 4-5 person groups, of an interdisciplinary character,
And will be closely supervised in all stages of the product-development life-cycle.
Feedback will be given in workshop sessions, and by assessing the products as made available online. Peer reviews will
not only be used for feedback, but will also form part of the procedure of assessment and grading.
Grading takes place by assessing the work in a presentation session, where students present and discuss their work and
contributions to the group project..
special facilities
Contacts with potential industrial or societal partners must be established, to acquire interesting projects with a sufficient
degree of relevance and technical interest.
topic(s)
- the use of various-size screens in private and public space(s)
- adapative content -- related to context and (possibly) user
- (smart) interaction using sensor device(s)
- information, entertainment & game play
- mixed & cross-media format(s) -- spanning a range of display(s)
CA4 target(s)
- skill(s) -- multi-display visual design
- knowledge -- narrative(s) & interaction
- theory -- communication & aesthetics
- experience(s) -- medium scale cross-media application
- attitude -- aesthetic sensibility
session(s)
- introduction topic(s) & challenge(s)
- brain storm(s) -- concept development
- planning -- concept & application development
- development scenario(s) and storyboard(s)
- workflow(s) -- asset development
- basic media and communication theory
- societal context of creative application(s)
- delivery and presentation of final application(s)
assignment(s)
- concept pitch presentation(s)
- planning - approach, realization, deployment
- report(s) -- application development and installation
- evaluation(s) -- summary of experience(s) and deployment result(s)
reference(s)
- Convivial Urban Spaces: Creating Effective Public Spaces,
by Henry Shaftoe
-- (amazon)
- Eliëns A. and Vyas D., Panorama -- explorations in the aesthetics of social awareness, In Proc. GAME-ON 07, Nov 20-22, University of Bologna, Marco Roccetti (ed.), p. 71-75, EUROSIS-ETI Publication, ISBN 9789077381373
- A. Eliëns, topical media & game development -- media.eliens.net
advice for the student(s)
Screens everywhere. So what, you may think.
But, for example, when you see a running text on someones T-shirt,
or, why not, moving images on the chair you are about to use,
it might become more interesting.
Think of what feeds these image, not only in a technical way,
but what model of communication underlies the selection
and programming of these (moving) images.
Is it a broadcast, like on our television screen, a narrow-cast
as in your icecream parlor or the elevator, or is it a point-cast,
as in the screen you watch on the back of the chair in front of you?
Furthermore aesthetic and technical issues abound, given the
fact that all these screens differ in resolution,
display technology, and luminance.
And, think of how to make these screens reactive
to changes in context, changes such as the time of day,
with different lighting conditions, but possibly also
changes in the number and kind of spectators,
that may be detected using sensors or image processing techniques.
Indeed, spectators should be aware that they not only look
at the screens, but the screens may observe the
spectator(s) as well.
PDF
With a small class, 6 students, we started to reflect
on the meaning of screens in our life.
Subsequently, we started exploring technology, and
thinking of applications that would suit the theme.
All in all the process went well, although
the student needed continuous encouragement, read push,
to keep working with focus.
The presentations for external parties, that is Chris Haarmeyer,
and later Dennis Reidsma were well received.
Later, focus seemed to be a bit lost, in the sense
that in the eyes of Gerrit van de Hoeven, the reflection
and comparison with set goals was inadequate.
I was generally satisfied with the final results,
that is the installations presented in smart xp,
although I found that the results did not meet my intial
expectations as a spatial installation, since apart
from a lack of (truly) compelling context, there was
also not sufficient (visual) drama and aesthetic impact.
All abit too quick and nerdy, so to speak.
But then again, it is a process, and as such not only
one with sufficiently satisfyinh results, but also
providing a good start for conrinuing work in the new media
track on persuasive technology and serious games.
So far, no students submitted feedback on the course.
A pity, since it is still worthwhile to know how
such a course is received.
As a final remark, overall the representation of the work,
for this course but also for other courses, in the
individual students portfolio is/was inadequate,
and this should be improved!
Regrettably, this seems not to be important in the
eye of most of the creative technology staff.
Nevertheless, the credo was and is: the creative industry
is a portfolio industry!
