Cognitive Science 0282 - Media in the Built Environment

The future of media "functionalities" - what media do, not the objects that they are - is likely to entail their ubiquity, embedded and distributed throughout the spaces where people live. There is a hint of this already in the way we use smartphones. They are portable, personalizable, multi-functional and almost never disconnected from the web. This advanced seminar will explore theories and case studies that suggest how this near-term media future may come about. Students will pursue their own independent projects - research, model building, demonstrations - while discovering and sharing common readings. Ideally, we will approach the subject from diverse backgrounds, including design and architecture, media and cultural studies.

Independent Work Writing and Research In this course, students are expected to spend at least six to eight hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time. This time includes reading, writing, research.