Day 12: (Mon Oct 12, Week 7) System Analysis

Notes for 2020-10-12.

New Assignments

  1. New assignment is to complete the preparation steps for the following exercise before next class: In-Class Exercise: Network Party. MQTT login: students, password: cks, port: 8884 (16-223).

  2. The Canvas submission will occur after class to accommodate final changes.

  3. Preparation for next class: watch Day 13 videos.

Daily Agenda

  1. Administrative

    1. Remember, please fill out the office hours poll if you have not already.

    2. If you would be interested in using the lab during class time, please email me. I’ll need to coordinate with staff, but this is possible.

  2. Q&A

  3. Breakouts: system analysis

    1. The immediate objective is to enumerate and classify the design features of a physical computing device. The larger objective is to consider the partitioning of systemic processes between mechanical, electrical, and computational domains.

    2. Choose a system incorporating both mechanical and computational processes. Examples: dishwasher, DLSR camera, computer printer, automobile drivetrain, mechanical clock, Reuben Margolin sculpture, Zimoun sculpture.

    3. Identify the expression of typical machine functions, including the following. For more ideas, see System Design Prompts.

      • energy storage

      • power transmission

      • motion amplification and reduction

      • sensing and information transduction

      • mechanical computation and feedback

      • self-protection (e.g. limit stops, enclosures)

      • human interface (for details see Design for Humans)

    4. Where do we draw the bounds of each portion of the system?

      • Is a human user essential? What roles does the human play in energizing or controlling the system?

      • What computational processes could be implemented mechanically?

      • What mechanical processes could be replaced using computation?

    5. What features of the form are essential?

      • Which underlying physical processes are essential elements of the application?

      • Which physical features are essential?

      • If you were redesigning the system, what would you retain?

  4. After class: office hour time continues for a while.