This studio course explores the idea of 'skin' and 'soft' as terms that possess physical and associative properties. Housing for the body, computer wearables, sculptural design and soft furniture will be considered as design concepts for maquettes and prototypes. Recycling of materials and alternative material use are emphasized.

Warning
We will build simple circuits in this class. Also, students are expected to create and upkeep a detailed website documenting their work (see Objectives). If necessary, we will give an introductory workshop in DreamWeaver.

Introduction
The focus of the class is on "soft computing" (conductive cloth, conductive yarns, conductive epoxy etc... plus some hard components) to construct SIMPLE interactive or "smart" artifacts. We will think of simple circuit design as a medium akin to wood or paper, and to experiement with materials that can enable simple expressive computational forms. Mixing different materials, animated materials and a focus on computation as a design tool.

In this course, students will read, think, sketch, design and build. We will focus on conceptual development, prototyping and implementation of object designs from the multiple perspectives of form, function and personal/social meaning. Readings will emphasize critical thinking, technology, ethical concerns and environmental issues.

This class will focus on technology as contemporary myth that infiltrates the physical world we live in. We will examine and reflect on the futuristic vision that objects need to "think" and "communicate" with one another. How will this enrich our lives? How much technology do we want in our physical world? How much embedded electronics can we digest before facing the environmental consequences?

Students are expected to have skills in construction and production techniques (including sewing) as well as materials. All students will learn some basics of electronics (simple LED circuit, maybe some microcontrollers) and some students will be encouraged to pursue a final project that is dynamic, interactive, deploys electronics or acts as computational interface. The mid-term project will require prototyping an interactive object and producing an interaction scenario.

Objectives
Readings, lectures and presentations will augment the studio practice.

Each student will keep a web journal throughout the term to chronicle and share thoughts, ideas and resources. The web journal will be updated weekly. It will serve as a repository for weekly thoughts and observations, to document the development process for projects and to present assignments. Include a photo and a short bio. The website will include links to assignments, links to your previous web work and a RESOURCE section where you will list influential web sites and tools as well as information sources.

Students will be expected to present their assignments in class, speak about their work during evaluations and participate in collective critique process of the work of other class members.