Syllabus

LEARNING OUTCOMES

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Evaluate and use software for circuit board design.
2. Demonstrate and describe workflows used in circuit board design and production.
3. Demonstrate and describe the processes of programming microcontrollers.
4. Evaluate and demonstrate the workflows for using sensors and other input devices in their electronic circuit board designs.
5. Evaluate and demonstrate the workflows for using motors and other output devices in their electronic circuit board designs.
6. Demonstrate and describe workflows used in computer-controlled machining.
7. Demonstrate and describe workflows used in mould design, construction, and casting.
8. Critically evaluate the applications and implications of digital fabrication technology on a deeper level.

Credits: 6

Schedule: 28.02.2024 - 18.04.2024

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Matti Niinimäki, Krisjanis Rijnieks

Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):

CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):

Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):

Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English

CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD

Content

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  This course is one of three Digital Fabrication courses offered by Aalto Media Lab and Aalto Fab Lab. These courses run parallel to the global Fab Academy lectures and follow the same distributed educational model. This second course in the series deepens the students' skills and knowledge in digital fabrication with a focus on creating prototypes, products, and machines that include embedded electronics.

  The students learn how to design and create interactive systems using microcontrollers, sensors, motors, actuators, and other electronic components that are integrated on custom circuit boards. The course also introduces tools, techniques, and processes for computer-controlled machining, mould making, and casting.

  More details on the course content can be found in the course syllabus for each implementation of the course.

Assessment Methods and Criteria

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  • Weekly assignments and documentation

  Minimum 80% attendance. See MyCourses for more detailed information on evaluation criteria.

Workload

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  The course uses a distributed educational model where part of the lectures are taught by our global partners and part of them are taught locally at the Aalto Fab Lab. The student is also required to spend a considerable amount of time doing independent studies and completing assignments.

  6 ECTS ≈ 160h

  • Remote teaching (global lectures): ~20h
  • Contact teaching (local lectures and demonstrations): ~20h
  • Independent work and completing the assignments: ~80h
  • Time to reflect and process the lectures): ~40h

  Although part of the lectures are remote, this course cannot be completed remotely. A successful completion of the course requires attendance to the contact teaching and independent assignments at the Aalto Fab Lab.

DETAILS

Study Material

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  • Fab Academy website: https://fabacademy.org/
  • Additional learning materials will be provided on the MyCourses site of the course.

Substitutes for Courses

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Substitutes for Courses

Prerequisites

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Prerequisites

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Information

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Teaching Language : English

  Teaching Period : 2022-2023 Spring IV
  2023-2024 Spring IV

  Enrollment :

  Minimum amount of participants: 8
  Maximum amount of participants varies according to the implementation of the course.

  Registration for Courses: Sisu.

  Priority order to courses is as follows:

  1. Students of the New Media major
  2. Digital Fabrication minor students
  3. Students of the Master's Programme in Information Networks 
  4. Exchange students in the New Media major
  5. Other ARTS students
  6. Other Aalto Students

  In addition, there is a quota of 4 students for LWL students joining the Fab Academy.

Description