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Topics: Artificial Intelligence, Human Computer Interaction, Embodied Interaction, Speculative design, Rapid Prototyping
Disciplines: Media Technology, Psychology, Philosophy.
Admission requirements:
This course is an (extracurricular) Honours Class: an elective course within the Honours College programme. Third year students who don’t participate in the Honours College, have the opportunity to apply for a Bachelor Honours Class. Students will be selected based on i.a. their motivation and average grade.
Description:
While the capabilities of (generative) AI models keep increasing, the ways we interact with them remains quite limited. We type prompts in nondescript chat interfaces or speak into the void, almost like communicating with an abstract, omniscient deity.
This interaction with AI mostly happens on our personal devices, as those have become our access points to the digital world. Our laptops, smartwatches and smartphones have become so close to us that we don’t trust them to our own family members or life partners. Our TikTok feed might say more about our personality than we are willing to admit.
The dominance of personal computing has an important role in many of the problems surrounding our digital society. Increasingly, algorithms built by big tech companies determine how we experience the world. This hyper-individualization makes people vulnerable to misinformation and political abuse.
In this course we will explore different forms of interacting with AI in the physical world. We discuss classical humanoid robots and smart vacuum cleaners. And we try to come up with more exotic physical forms, like intelligent artworks and AI-powered public servants.
Specifically, we will focus on designing shared interfaces in public spaces. By doing so we hope to contribute to an implementation of AI that unites people more than it divides them.
In this research course you will be challenged to identify use cases of AI in the real world and develop this concept into a working prototype.
We designed the course to make it achievable for all students: ● You work on your technical skills and creative ideas ● We choose easy software with ready-to-go AI functions and give technical support
The concept and design of your project is just as important as the technical implementation of the prototype. You don’t need programming experience to join the course; you are expected to put effort in growing your digital skills.
Course objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
have a basic understanding of the technology of generative AI;
have gained basic coding and digital design skills to interactive user experiences;
have analyzed the influence of AI on society;
have analyzed the influence of shared, embodied user interfaces for AI;
have created a project that uses an original interface to AI in a specific context.
Programme and timetable:
The sessions of this class will be held on Wednesdays from 17.15 - 19.15.
Session 1: October 1
Course introduction & exploring possibilities of generative AI
Session 2: October 8 (Old Observatory, room C1.02)
Introduction to Design & Human-Computer Interaction
Session 3: October 15
AI interfaces & experiencing AI installations in the ‘Future Parade’
Session 4: October 29
Technology behind Artificial Intelligence & possible futures
Session 5: November 5
Shared interfaces, embodied interaction & urban HCI
Session 6: November 12
Skills Lab: applying AI models in screen-based interaction
Session 7: November 19
Skills Lab: applying AI models in interactive installations
Session 8: November 26
Introduction final project: forming groups & start of design process
Session 9: December 3
Guided project work: research, concept, design and development
Session 10: December 10
Guided project work: research, concept, design and development
Session 11 December 17
Project presentations
Location:
With the exception of 8 October (Old Observatory), all other meetings will be held in PLNT Leiden, Brainstorm room
Langegracht 70, 2312NV
Reading list:
For this course we will read parts from:
Donald Norman - Design of Everyday Things
Mateo Kroese – Hello, Robot
David Rose - SuperSight
Andy Clark – Natural-born Cyborgs
Other possible literature will be announced in class or via Brightspace.
Course load and teaching method:
This course is worth 5 ECTS, which means the total course load equals 140 hours:
Lectures: 11 physical lectures of 2 hours = 22 hours
Literature reading and writing assignments: 28 hours
Technical homework assignments: 12 hours
Final project 70 hours ( including research, concepting, design, development and reflection)
Public event: 8 hours
Assessment methods:
The assessment methods will look as follows:
Final project (100%)
At two points in the process the students have to hand in parts of the project. For these assignments the students will receive qualitative feedback so they know if they’re on the right track.
The final project also includes a project report and final presentation. In the project report (1500 - 2500 words) are students able to explain the design decisions they’ve made in their project. In the final presentations the students present or pitch their projects.
The deadline for the project is the 17th of December 2025. This is also the date of the final presentations.
Students can only pass this course after successful completion of all partial exams.
The assessment methods will be further explained in the first session of the class.
Brightspace and uSis:
Brightspace will be used in this course. Upon admission students will be enrolled in Brightspace by the teaching administration.
Please note: students are not required to register through uSis for the Bachelor Honours Classes. Your registration will be done centrally.
Application process:
Submitting an application for this course is possible from Monday 25 August 2025 up to and including Sunday 7 September 2025 23:59 through the link on the Honours Academy student website.
Note: students don’t have to register for the Bachelor Honours Classes in uSis. The registration is done centrally before the start of the class.
Contact:
Robin de Lange
mail@robindelange.com