The first course in this series was last offered through The Crucible in Oakland, CA. The course was ten evening sessions. Here is the course description:
Build This Sculpture is a series of project courses based on the design, construction and prototyping of a single electronic, robotic or interactive sculpture system. These courses are intermediate in skill level, but can accommodate dedicated beginners. Every quarter I will be adding another course to this series, and will also be developing intensive weekend workshops based on similar foundations.
Tracker is a robotic sculpture system with the following characteristics: mounted on the tip of an automobile power antenna is a servo motor. Mounted on this servo is a pair of distance sensors. The assembly is mounted inside a housing of some kind. If the housing has a lid, a second motor controls the lid. The robot raises it's head out of its hiding place and scans the room by panning the distance sensors with the servo. The control program applies this simple rule: always turn toward the sensor with the closest reading. The result is a machine which tracks passerby. Additional rules control hiding from people who come too close, sleeping at night, etc.
This system is fun to design and build, is very engaging to interact with, and illustrates a number of useful techniques including power supply design, DC motor control, light and distance sensing, servo control, and multitasking programming. The basic platform is extensible to a wide variety of animal-model robotic sculpture areas.
In the prototype you see here, I have used an old instrument case, but this type of robot could take a wide variety of forms. Think about it!
This course will briefly survey introductory electricity, electronics and computer programming, then focus on building a single robotic sculpture. The resulting machine will include the basic characteristics of the Tracker system, but students are free to, and encouraged to, embellish formally, structurally and conceptually. Beginning students will likely choose to build the machine more or less as presented. More advanced students will likely incorporate the techniques of the core machine into a system of their own devising.
The pace and scope of the course will be determined by the skill level of the students who sign up, but everyone who dedicates themselves to the singular goal of the course will come away with one interactive, computer-controlled sculpture system.
Beginners will receive an overview of the skills, tools and techniques needed to develop interactive machines, and a starting place for either further course work or their own self-guided learning. More advanced students will learn a number of new sensor and control techniques which they can apply to their own work.
Build This Sculpture is an advanced course, but is open to everyone interested in learning something about electronics, robotics and interactive artmaking, with the following important caveat: due to the complexity of the course's central focus, basic sculpture fabrication skills (drilling, sawing, bolting, etc. as needed) are the responsibility of each student.
The experience each individual brings to the course will determine both the pace of the course overall, and also the specific skills each student leaves the course with. If you're comfortable using a PC and handling common hand or shop tools, you will be able to get something valuable out of it.
If you plan to learn from scratch how to use a PC, what programming is, what a microcontroller is, how electricity and electronics work, how to use tools, how to assemble circuit boards, wiring, and how to write robot control programs, please remember that it takes many years to master these skills. You will get the most out of this course if you scale your expectations realistically.
Children will be considered for this course as part of a team with one of their parents. The parent must meet course requirements, will be the primary student, and will be responsible for interpreting all class materials for their child.
The course will cover relatively complex concepts and will require significant study and work outside of class.
Another brucecannon.com special project!
