LEARNING OUTCOMES
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Evaluate and use software for circuit board design.
- Demonstrate and describe workflows used in circuit board design and production.
- Evaluate and demonstrate the workflows for using sensors and other input devices in their electronic circuit board designs.
- Evaluate and demonstrate the workflows for using motors and other output devices in their electronic circuit board designs.
- Demonstrate and describe workflows used in computer-controlled machining.
- Demonstrate and describe workflows used in mold design, construction, and casting.
- Critically evaluate the applications and implications of digital fabrication technology on a deeper level.
Credits: 6
Schedule: 26.02.2025 - 10.04.2025
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, mold 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:
Prerequisites
valid for whole curriculum period:
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further Information
valid for whole curriculum period:
Teaching Language: English
Teaching Period: 2024-2025 Spring IV
2025-2026 Spring IVRegistration:
Minimum amount of participants: 8
Maximum amount of participants: 16Registration for Courses in Sisu. Priority order to courses is as follows:
- Students of the New Media major
- Digital Fabrication minor students
- Exchange students in the New Media major
- Students in the Master's Programme in Art and Media
- Other ARTS students
- Other Aalto Students
In addition, there is a quota of 4 external students for LWL students joining the Fab Academy.