Weave together traditions and technology

IDeATe › Undergraduate Programs › Soft Technologies

Soft Technologies

The IDeATe minor in Soft Technologies weaves together a rich set of traditions and techniques to animate soft materials and matter. This burgeoning field draws from the disciplines of costumery, computer science, arts and design, engineering, materials science, robotics, and textiles. In this minor, students explore the unique qualities that soft technologies afford in design and interaction — responsiveness, adaptivity, sensitivity, morphing, biomimicry, and forms of intelligence. The courses offer students the opportunity to shape and fashion a wide range of soft matter and materials into artifacts and applications ranging from novel to practical -- forms that can shape-shift, adapt, and transform in response to environments and the human body. Students will engage in project-based inquiry, using research, experimentation, making, and reflection to inform their creativity and to develop critical perspectives and skills. Through this minor students will gain skills in envisioning their own projects and develop sensitivities to the breadth and limitations of soft technologies.

Soft Technologies Minor Requirements

Soft Technologies Minor - Minimum of 45 Units
One Computing Course - Minimum of 9 Units	15-104 Introduction to Computing for Creative Practice 15-110 Principles of Computing 15-112 Fundamentals of Programming and Computer Science 60-210 Electronic Media Studio: Introduction to Interactivity 60-212 Electronic Media Studio: Interactivity and Computational Practice
One IDeATe Portal Course - Minimum of 9 Units	Recommended Portal Course for this minor: 62-150 IDeATe Portal: Introduction to Media Synthesis and Analysis Section A: Introduction to Textile Media Recommended Portal Course for this minor: 99-361 IDeATe Portal Section A: Inflatables 16-223 IDeATe Portal: Creative Kinetic Systems 18-090 Twisted Signals: Multimedia Processing for the Arts 53-322 IDeATe: Little Games/Big Stories: Indie Roleplaying Game Studio 60-125 IDeATe: Introduction to 3D Animation Pipeline 60-223 IDeATe Introduction to Physical Computing 62-150 IDeATe Portal: Introduction to Media Synthesis and Analysis Section B: Introduction to Mediascapes: 2D to 3D Spatial Environments Section C: Introduction to Digital Storytelling + Archives 99-361 IDeATe Portal Section B: Intelligent Environments Section D: Learning About Learning
IDeATe Soft Technologies Courses - Minimum of 27 Units	09-227 The Culture of Color: Dye, Chemistry, & Sustainability 05-499 Special Topics in HCI: Morphing Matter 12-031 IDeATe Special Topics: Sustainability in the Textile and Fashion Industry 15-367 Algorithmic Textiles Design 16-224 IDeATe: Re-Crafting Computational Thinking with Soft Technologies 16-376 IDeATe: Kinetic Fabrics 27-505 Exploration in Everyday Materials 54-346 Introduction to Costume Construction 54-486 Understanding Textiles Additional courses as available. Please check IDeATe Courses for the options for the current and upcoming semesters.
Double-counting: Students may double-count up to two of their IDeATe minor courses for other requirements.

How to Participate

IDeATe collaborates with the Robotics Institute to offer an undergraduate minor in Soft Technologies, which is open to students from any major. Students interested in the minor should contact the IDeATe advisor to discuss curriculum and to make a loose plan of study.

All students are welcome to take IDeATe's Soft Technologies courses to fulfill requirements or to explore an area of interest. Pursuing the minor is not required to take the courses.

Soft Technologies Faculty

The Soft Technologies faculty represent Carnegie Mellon's expertise in Art, Engineering, and Computer Science. They carefully oversee the collaboration of students while delivering the IDeATe Soft Technologies courses.

Julie (Xiaoju) Chen