Admission requirements
Media Technology Msc students
Description
This course is about connecting computers to the physical world. We regularly connect ourselves to computers, for example via keyboard, mouse, monitor, and touch screen. However, many creative computing applications require a computer to connect to the physical world via other sensors (buttons, dials, thermometers, distance sensors, pressure sensors, accelerometers, light sensors, …) and actuators (motors, steppermotors, servo’s, leds, lcd’s, electrical appliances, …). Through computer programming, meaningful interaction patterns between sensors input and actuator output can be created. Typical application domains where computers sense and act in the physical world are robotics, interactive installations, home automation, and experimental research equipment.
This course introduces physical computing and interfacing via the Arduino open-source hardware platform. Arduino boards are inexpensive and popular micro-controller boards. Students learn to build their own Arduino board, to connect sensors and actuators, to program the Arduino, and must then apply it in a creative computing project.
See also the "This is Arduino" webpage, that is used in this course.
Course objectives
After completing the course, students
understand what are microprocessors, sensors and actuators, and know specific ones;
have hands-on experience with designing and building simple electronic circuits through soldering and breadboard use;
can connect basic sensing and actuating circuitry to Arduino;
can program Arduino for various tasks;
understand the basics of serial communication;
understand and have experienced how to approach a creative computing project involving Arduino.
Timetable
In MyTimetable, you can find all course and programme schedules, allowing you to create your personal timetable. Activities for which you have enrolled via MyStudyMap will automatically appear in your timetable.
Additionally, you can easily link MyTimetable to a calendar app on your phone, and schedule changes will be automatically updated in your calendar. You can also choose to receive email notifications about schedule changes. You can enable notifications in Settings after logging in.
Questions? Watch the video, read the instructions, or contact the ISSC helpdesk.
Note: Joint Degree students from Leiden/Delft need to combine information from both the Leiden and Delft MyTimetables to see a complete schedule. This video explains how to do it.
Mode of instruction
Lecture, Seminar. Language: English.
Assessment method
Assessment and grading is based on a final (group-)assignment: the creative computing project. Students build an interactive work and present it in class.
Reading list
Selected online materials provided in class.
Registration
As a student, you are responsible for enrolling on time through MyStudyMap.
In this short video, you can see step-by-step how to enrol for courses in MyStudyMap.
Extensive information about the operation of MyStudyMap can be found here.
There are two enrolment periods per year:
Enrolment for the fall opens in July
Enrolment for the spring opens in December
See this page for more information about deadlines and enrolling for courses and exams.
Note:
It is mandatory to enrol for all activities of a course that you are going to follow.
Your enrolment is only complete when you submit your course planning in the ‘Ready for enrolment’ tab by clicking ‘Send’.
Not being enrolled for an exam/resit means that you are not allowed to participate in the exam/resit.
Contact
Contact the lecturer(s) for course specific questions, and the programme's coordinator for questions regarding admission and/or registration.
Remarks
Exchange students (other than Media Technology MSc students) need to be admitted to the course before registration due to very limited capacity. Contact the programme's coordinator to request admission; include a short description of your course interest and state your current study programme in your correspondence.
Software
Starting from the 2024/2025 academic year, the Faculty of Science will use the software distribution platform Academic Software. Through this platform, you can access the software needed for specific courses in your studies. For some software, your laptop must meet certain system requirements, which will be specified with the software. It is important to install the software before the start of the course. More information about the laptop requirements can be found on the student website.