Syllabus

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After taking the course the student understands interaction techniques that deviate from the usual interfaces between human and computer, and has practical experience of building applications with such interaction.

Credits: 5

Schedule: 11.01.2024 - 02.05.2024

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Mikko Kytö

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

The course will start on Jan 11th at 16.15 in TU5 (1194-1195). 

We will have both face-to-face and online lectures in the course. 

Introduction

The graphical user interface (GUI) with keyboard and mouse has dominated in offices since the 1980's. For other situations the touch-screen interaction represents the current mainstream paradigm for interaction with computer systems. Although it has only been with us for about 10 years, there are already clear situations where the "app" model doesn't work. From games and entertainment, through to particular user groups, touchscreen interaction is not the only or best way to interact.  

This course provides an overview of novel and unconventional human-computer interaction techniques. These include for example touch, tangibility,  gestures and use of various physical sensors, currently typically applied in games and 3D virtual environments. Many of these will emerge into the mainstream of interaction in the next few years, so the course provides a good head-start to start thinking about them and how they will be used. The course also focuses on how all human senses including touch, sound, taste and smell can be incorporated into computer interaction and the issues in doing so.  

The course is largely composed of a group project, where groups of students (preferably from different disciplines) identify, develop and construct a novel user interface using physical computing (e.g. Arduino). 

The course provides both a theoretical and practical understanding of the area of Experimental User Interaction.

Learning objectives

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:

  The course gives an overview of new and emerging UI paradigms that go beyond traditional WIMP interfaces. These include tangible interaction, multimodal interaction (audio, haptic, smell and taste) and the various sensors and sensing techniques and technologies used to implement them. A significant proportion of the course is spent on hands-on project work, where students will collaborate to implement a novel user interface (most likely tangible) using electronic prototyping tools and software (most likely Arduino).

Assessment Methods and Criteria

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Assessment is made on the report and demonstration of the group implementation project.

Workload

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Lectures, hands-on exercises, and a project work

DETAILS

Study Material

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  To be announced later in course web page.

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 No teaching
  2023-2024 III-V

  Students will be prioritized in the following order:
  1. Students of the Master’s programmes in CCIS and ICT Innovation majoring in HCI or HCID
  2. Other students of the Master’s programmes in CCIS
  3. Students of the Master’s Programme in Information Networks
  4. SCI and ELEC Bachelors students in their final year of BSc studies
  5. All other students
  

Details on the schedule

• applies in this implementation

  Week	Date	Format	Topic
  2	Thurs 11th, Jan	Face-to-face	Lecture 1: Introduction to the course, AR/VR
  4	Thurs 25th, Jan	Zoom	Lecture 2: Multimodal interaction
  5	Mon 29th, Jan	Zoom	Homework: Project topic suggestions in Flinga
  5	Thurs 1st, Feb	Face-to-face	Matchmaking
  6	Thurs 8th, Feb	Zoom	Lecture 3: Design and prototyping
  7	Thurs 15th, Feb	Face-to-face	Lecture 4: Physical Computing
  9	Thurs 29th, Feb	Face-to-face	Project Pitching, Peer feedback
  10	Mon 4th, March	Online	Project proposal Deadline
  10…12		Zoom/face-to-face	Tutor meetings
  13	Thurs 28th, March	Face-to-face	Show and tell
  15…17		Zoom/face-to-face	Tutor meetings
  18	Thurs 2nd, May	Face-to-face	Project demonstration
  20	Mon 13th, May	Online	Report & Video

  
  

Description