Inside IDeATe: Physical Computing Lab

The Integrative Design, Arts, and Technology (IDeATe) network is an academic program with a collaborative making facility in the basement of Hunt Library that is home to many studios and workspaces where students can work on creative projects. The IDeATe program itself has 10 minors, along with courses that train you how to use the spaces that are available to students in all disciplines. IDeATe’s classes, services, and spaces focus on creativity and collaboration at the intersection of technology and art.

The Physical Computing Lab is located in A10, in the basement of Hunt Library. The space is a workspace and lab, as well as a classroom. Classes held in the space include 60-223: Introduction to Physical Computing, 16-223: Creative Kinetic Systems,16-375: Robotics for Creative Practice, and 62-423: Inclusive Design Studio. Access to the room is restricted to students who have taken an IDeATe physical computing class.

“The Physical Computing Lab is a space with tools and materials for making low to mid fidelity electronic prototypes,” said Cody Soska, the Technical Specialist for IDeATe. “This is similar to what you can do with electrical engineering, but physical computing is different in a few ways — it’s a true interdisciplinary combination of form and function, and the focus is on building something.” 

The Physical Computing Lab contains:

-Crafting supplies and quick construction supplies for low-fi mockups
-Fasteners and hardware (nuts and bolts, etc.)
-Wiring and cables
-Soldering bench with oscilloscopes and other electronics equipment
-DC power supplies
-Hot air guns
-Hand and power tools (screwdrivers, drills, pliers, workbench, etc.)
-Project storage
-A cabinet of higher price or higher voltage electrical components, available to students at an instructor’s discretion
-A wall of organized electronic components that are free to take and use as needed while working in the space

The wall of electronic components is one of recent Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences graduate Zarmond Goodman’s favorite parts of the space.

“I like how if I wasn’t aware of something, I could just look at the wall and see that it exists,” they said. “Garth Zeglin, who teaches here, taught me about the concept of discovery and how students can look at the wall to physically see what’s available and what’s possible.”

The layout of the components on the wall is designed with a high-level view that breaks components down into categories. The design comes from IDeATe’s ioRef project, and was organized in collaboration with an HCII capstone project. The ioRef project consists of a suite of learning tools that help students quickly learn how to understand physical computing by breaking down the functions that the components have in an electrical system.

“This layout is one of the things that makes it more accessible to beginners to learn this stuff and quickly move from ideas to prototypes,” said Associate Teaching Professor Robert Zacharias, who teaches many of the classes held in the space. 

“This is helpful because in my class, 60-223, we focus on client-based design work. Students learn the basics of how to build physical computing devices, and then they make assistive devices. This year, we’re collaborating with Facilities and Management Services in order to help them with their work on campus. For example, one group is working with the campus’s carpenters and determining how to make a tool that they can use in their daily jobs,” he said.

The Physical Computing Lab is the home of many of the classes in the Physical Computing minor, and its organization and resources are vital to helping students go from knowing very little about electronics to being able to create physical computing devices. 

“What’s special about the lab is that we have a dense collection of materials, components, and tools that you need to build all sorts of interactive electronic and mechanical things,” said Zacharias. “But it’s not just the room — it’s the students, the teachers, the classes, and the creative ethos that are the true special sauces here.”