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Day 1: (Tue Jan 16, Week 1) Welcome and Introduction¶

Notes for 2024-01-16.

Agenda¶

Welcome to 16-376 Kinetic Fabrics!
- scope and style of the course
- IDeATe Soft Technologies, Physical Computing minors
- collaboration and reflection
- major objective: continuous public performance using soft materials
Administrative
- Course site: https://courses.ideate.cmu.edu/16-376
  - Daily log pages (like this one): Daily Agenda Logbook
  - Canvas
  - KF-S24 Shared Drive
  - KF-S24 Project Gallery
- Attendance and tardiness policies.
- Electronic device policies.
- Pandemic and Wellness.
- Physical Computing Lab
  - Card access
  - Physical Computing Lab use and abuse
  - We are sharing the room with many other classes (see IDeATe PhysComp Lab Calendar)
  - We will also have access to Hunt A11 (adjacent study room)
- Laser cutter qualification: see IDeATe Laser Cutter Policies
- My Office Hours and Zoom information (i.e. meetings on request)
- Name tags and photos.
Discussion
1. Mutual introductions, In-Class Exercise: Interview Game.
2. Longer personal introduction.
3. Longer reflection on course themes, see Discussion notes and Related Video below.
(Time did not permit:) Time permitting: short breakout session in different groups. Each should
try to find several answers to the following questions:
- What kinds of creative practice are represented in the group?
- What physical, kinetic processes involving fabric would you be excited to try as an expressive medium?

Please complete the KF Spring 2024 Student Questionnaire if you haven’t already. This should just take a few minutes.
Please complete laser-cutter training if you have not already done so. There are three parts:
- asynchronous online course: BioRAFT Laser Cutter Safety
- scheduled online course: BioRAFT Fire Extinguisher Training
- asynchronous video training: IDeATe Laser Training Part 1, IDeATe Laser Training Part 2
For more details: IDeATe Laser Cutter Policies, IDeATe Laser Cutter Overview

Main objective: exploration of experimental technique in kinetic fabric sculpture.
- emphasis on long-term installation
- both autonomous and human-operated are in scope
Essential learning goals:
- playful research and discovery
- collaboration
- using simple textile techniques to craft things which move well
- applying various actuation systems to fabric
- using basic animation and choreography to compose gestural performances
- reflection, documentation, and critique
What the course is not:
- fashion or costume
- live stage performance
Potential directions to explore
- Stepper Capstan Winches
- hand-operated mechanisms
- controlled airflow (fans)
- controlled illumination (lights)
- fabric tension structures
- underwater (stretch goal)