MIT OpenCourseWare: New Courses in Media Arts and Sciences

MAS.771 Autism Theory and Technology (MIT)

Picard, Rosalind W. — 2012-02-01T10:05:32+05:00

This course illuminates current theories about autism together with challenges faced by people on the autism spectrum. Theories in communicating, interacting socially, managing cognitive and affective overload, and achieving independent lifestyles are covered. In parallel, the course presents state-of-the-art technologies being developed for helping improve both theoretical understanding and practical outcomes. Participants are expected to meet and interact with people on the autism spectrum. Weekly reading, discussion, and a term project are required.

MAS.836 Sensor Technologies for Interactive Environments (MIT)

Paradiso, Joseph — 2012-01-12T10:44:43+05:00

This course is a broad introduction to a host of sensor technologies, illustrated by applications drawn from human-computer interfaces and ubiquitous computing. After extensively reviewing electronics for sensor signal conditioning, the lectures cover the principles and operation of a variety of sensor architectures and modalities, including pressure, strain, displacement, proximity, thermal, electric and magnetic field, optical, acoustic, RF, inertial, and bioelectric. Simple sensor processing algorithms and wired and wireless network standards are also discussed. Students are required to complete written assignments, a set of laboratories, and a final project.

MAS.111 Introduction to Doing Research in Media Arts and Sciences (MIT)

Bove, V. Michael — 2012-01-05T15:57:06+05:00

This course is intended for students pursuing research projects at the Media Laboratory. Topics include Media Lab research areas, documenting research progress, ethical issues in research; patents, copyrights, intellectual property, and giving oral, written, and online presentations of results. A final oral presentation is required. Enrollment limited with preference given to students in the Media Arts and Sciences freshman program.

MAS.961 Networks, Complexity and Its Applications (MIT)

Hidalgo, Cesar — 2011-12-22T16:53:06+05:00

Networks are a ubiquitous way to represent complex systems, including those in the social and economic sciences. The goal of the course is to equip students with conceptual tools that can help them understand complex systems that emerge in both nature and social systems. This is a course intended for a general audience and will discuss applications of networks and complexity to diverse systems, including epidemic spreading, social networks and the evolution of economic development.

MAS.962 Special Topics: New Textiles (MIT)

Buechley, Leah — 2011-01-12T13:15:43+05:00

This project-based course will explore the future of textiles, focusing particularly on blending rich crafting traditions with new technologies. Topics will include textile-based electronics, textile fabrication, algorithmic pattern design, and composites. We will experiment with a wide range of fibers, yarns, and fabrics including traditional materials like wool and cotton as well as metal fibers and yarns, fusible plastics, papers, and resins. We will also explore techniques like felting, laser cutting, CNC knitting, digital printing, and CNC embroidery. Students will complete weekly hands-on assignments and a final project.

MAS.531 Computational Camera and Photography (MIT)

Raskar, Ramesh — 2010-09-09T15:29:18+05:00

A computational camera attempts to digitally capture the essence of visual information by exploiting the synergistic combination of task-specific optics, illumination, sensors and processing. In this course we will study this emerging multi-disciplinary field at the intersection of signal processing, applied optics, computer graphics and vision, electronics, art, and online sharing through social networks. If novel cameras can be designed to sample light in radically new ways, then rich and useful forms of visual information may be recorded — beyond those present in traditional photographs. Furthermore, if computational process can be made aware of these novel imaging models, them the scene can be analyzed in higher dimensions and novel aesthetic renderings of the visual information can be synthesized.We will discuss and play with thermal cameras, multi-spectral cameras, high-speed, and 3D range-sensing cameras and camera arrays. We will learn about opportunities in scientific and medical imaging, mobile-phone based photography, camera for HCI and sensors mimicking animal eyes. We will learn about the complete camera pipeline. In several hands-on projects we will build physical imaging prototypes and understand how each stage of the imaging process can be manipulated.

MAS.714J Technologies for Creative Learning (MIT)

Resnick, Mitchel — 2010-06-21T12:05:58+05:00

This course explores the design of innovative educational technologies and creative learning environments, drawing on specific case studies such as the LEGO® Programmable Brick, Scratch software and Computer Clubhouse after-school learning centers. Includes activities with new educational technologies, reflections on learning experiences, and discussion of strategies and principles underlying the design of new tools and activities.

MAS.961 Special Topics: Designing Sociable Media (MIT)

Donath, Judith — 2009-10-22T13:07:10+05:00

This project-based course explores new design strategies for social interaction in the computer mediated world. Through weekly readings and design assignments we will examine topics such as: Data-based portraiture Depicting growth, change and the passage of time Visualizing conversations, crowds, and networks Interfaces for the connected city Mobile social technologies The course emphasizes developing visual and interactive literacy.

MAS.965 NextLab I: Designing Mobile Technologies for the Next Billion Users (MIT)

Rotberg, Jhonatan — 2009-07-08T11:25:19+05:00

Can you make a cellphone change the world? NextLab is a hands-on year-long design course in which students research, develop and deploy mobile technologies for the next billion mobile users in developing countries. Guided by real-world needs as observed by local partners, students work in multidisciplinary teams on term-long projects, closely collaborating with NGOs and communities at the local level, field practitioners, and experts in relevant fields. Students are expected to leverage technical ingenuity in both mobile and internet technologies together with social insight in order to address social challenges in areas such as health, microfinance, entrepreneurship, education, and civic activism. Students with technically and socially viable prototypes may obtain funding for travel to their target communities, in order to obtain the first-hand feedback necessary to prepare their technologies for full fledged deployment into the real world (subject to guidelines and limitations).

MAS.110 Fundamentals of Computational Media Design (MIT)

Vercoe, Barry — 2009-06-25T16:43:04+05:00

This class covers the history of 20th century art and design from the perspective of the technologist. Methods for visual analysis, oral critique, and digital expression are introduced. Class projects this term use the OLPC XO (One Laptop Per Child) laptop, Csound and Python software.

MAS.632 Conversational Computer Systems (MIT)

Schmandt, Christopher — 2009-06-23T15:03:46+05:00

This class explores interaction with mobile computing systems and telephones by voice, including speech synthesis, recognition, digital recording, and browsing recorded speech. Emphasis on human interface design issues and interaction techniques appropriate for cognitive requirements of speech. Topics include human speech production and perception, speech recognition and text-to-speech algorithms, telephone networks, and spatial and time-compressed listening. Extensive reading from current research literature.

MAS.160 Signals, Systems and Information for Media Technology (MIT)

Picard, Rosalind W. — 2009-06-23T14:57:03+05:00

This class teaches the fundamentals of signals and information theory with emphasis on modeling audio/visual messages and physiologically derived signals, and the human source or recipient. Topics include linear systems, difference equations, Z-transforms, sampling and sampling rate conversion, convolution, filtering, modulation, Fourier analysis, entropy, noise, and Shannon's fundamental theorems. Additional topics may include data compression, filter design, and feature detection. The undergraduate subject MAS.160 meets with the two half-semester graduate subjects MAS.510 and MAS.511, but assignments differ.

MAS.630 Affective Computing (MIT)

Picard, Rosalind W. — 2008-12-15T15:34:39+05:00

This class explores computing that relates to, arises from, or deliberately influences emotion. Topics include the interaction of emotion with cognition and perception; the role of emotion in human-computer interaction; the communication of human emotion via face, voice, physiology, and behavior; construction of computers that have skills of emotional intelligence; the development of computers that "have" emotion; affective technologies for autism; and other areas of current research interest. Weekly reading, discussion, and a term project are required.

MAS.622J Pattern Recognition and Analysis (MIT)

Faculty and Staff, Media Lab — 2007-10-05T02:20:22+05:00

This class deals with the fundamentals of characterizing and recognizing patterns and features of interest in numerical data. We discuss the basic tools and theory for signal understanding problems with applications to user modeling, affect recognition, speech recognition and understanding, computer vision, physiological analysis, and more. We also cover decision theory, statistical classification, maximum likelihood and Bayesian estimation, nonparametric methods, unsupervised learning and clustering. Additional topics on machine and human learning from active research are also talked about in the class.

MAS.962 Common Sense Reasoning for Interactive Applications (MIT)

Lieberman, Henry — 2007-04-20T14:57:03+05:00

This course will explore the state of the art in common sense knowledge, and class projects will design and build interfaces that can exploit this knowledge to make more usable and helpful interfaces. This year's theme will be about how common sense knowledge differs in different languages and cultures, and how machine understanding of this knowledge can help increase communication between people, and between people and machines.

MAS.865J Quantum Information Science (MIT)

Chuang, Isaac — 2006-11-07T12:22:53+05:00

This is an advanced graduate course on quantum computation and quantum information, for which prior knowledge of quantum mechanics is required. Topics include quantum computation, advanced quantum error correction codes, fault tolerance, quantum algorithms beyond factoring, properties of quantum entanglement, and quantum protocols and communication complexity.

MAS.963 Technological Tools for School Reform (MIT)

Mikhak, Bakhtiar — 2006-11-02T10:46:27+05:00

This course explores the potential impact of modern technologies on the school reforms debate. The first part of the course provides an overview of the current state of the school reform debate and reviews the ideas in the progressive school reform movement, as well as examining the new public charter school in Cambridge as a case study. The second part of the course requires critical study of research projects that hold promise as inspirations and guidelines for concrete multidisciplinary activities and curriculum for progressive charter schools. The course concludes with a discussion of the challenges in scaling the successful innovations in school reform to new contexts.

MAS.965 Relational Machines (MIT)

Breazeal, Cynthia — 2005-10-21T00:10:16+05:00

This course examines the issues, principles, and challenges toward building relational machines through a combination of studio-style design and critique along with lecture, lively discussion of course readings, and assignments. Insights from social psychology, human-computer interaction, and design will be examined, as well as how these ideas are manifest in a broad range of applications for software agents and robots.

MAS.961 Ambient Intelligence (MIT)

Maes, Patricia — 2005-10-19T03:39:07+05:00

This course will provide an overview of a new vision for Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) in which people are surrounded by intelligent and intuitive interfaces embedded in the everyday objects around them. It will focus on understanding enabling technologies and studying applications and experiments, and, to a lesser extent, it will address the socio-cultural impact. Students will read and discuss the most relevant articles in related areas: smart environments, smart networked objects, augmented and mixed realities, ubiquitous computing, pervasive computing, tangible computing, intelligent interfaces and wearable computing. Finally, they will be asked to come up with new ideas and start innovative projects in this area.

MAS.712 How to Learn (Almost) Anything (MIT)

Resnick, Mitchel — 2005-04-26T22:01:05+05:00

As the digital revolution brings with it radical changes in how and what we learn, people must continue to learn all the time. New technologies make possible new approaches to learning, new contexts for learning, new tools to support learning, and new ideas of what can be learned. This course will explore these new opportunities for learning with a special focus on what can be learned through immersive, hands-on activities. Students will participate in (and reflect on) a variety of learning situations, and will use Media Lab technologies to develop new workshops, iteratively run and refine the workshops, and analyze how and what the workshop participants learn.