MIT: Independent Activities Period: IAP

IAP 2017 Activities by Category - Multi-Media

Expand All | Collapse All


Adobe InDesign Essentials: Basics of InDesign

Andrew Ramirez, Business Analyst

Jan/30 Mon 10:00AM-11:30AM W92 Back Bay, Bring your laptop with software preinstalled

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/29

Adobe InDesign is a powerful tool that is offered for free for MIT staff and select student departments via the IS&T software grid (here).

Adobe InDesign is a desktop publishing software application produced by Adobe Systems.  It can be used to create works such as posters, flyers, brochures, magazines, newspapers, and books. This quick 90-minute session will teach you the fundamentals of using InDesign for common tasks you may encounter in the workplace like creating a promotional poster, brochure or newsletter. 

Please bring your own laptop and pre-install Adobe InDesign before the session.  

 

SIGNUP LINK: Complete quick signup form here

Sponsor(s): Information Systems & Technology
Contact: Andrew Ramirez, 617 324-3945, AZRAM@MIT.EDU


Adobe Photoshop Essentials: Basics of Photoshop

Andrew Ramirez, Business Analyst

Jan/31 Tue 10:00AM-11:30AM W92 Back Bay, Bring your laptop with software preinstalled

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/29

Adobe Photoshop is a powerful tool that is offered for free for MIT staff and select student departments via the IS&T software grid (here).

Photoshop is considered one of the leaders in photo editing software. The software allows users to manipulate, crop, resize, and correct color on digital photos. 

Please bring your own laptop and pre-install Adobe Photoshop before the session.  

 

SIGNUP LINK: Complete quick signup form here

 

Sponsor(s): Information Systems & Technology
Contact: Andrew Ramirez, 617 324-3945, AZRAM@MIT.EDU


CantoVerso Workshop, Reading, and Book Launch

Nick Montfort, Milton Laufer

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/18
Limited to 20 participants
Attendance: Advanced sign-up for Worshop, Reading is open to everyone

CantoVerso
A digital literature workshop, reading, and book launch in English and Spanish
Un taller, lectura y presentación de libros en español e inglés sobre literatura digital

I: Workshop/Taller, 3pm-4:30pm

A quick poetry-generation workshop in English and Spanish, no programming experience necessary. Existing programs that can be modified will be provided and explained. A poetry generation tool that does not require programming will be available for use as well.

Una taller breve sobre generación de poesía, sin necesidad de experiencia en programación. Se ofrecerán programas existentes para su modificación y explicación. Se ofrecerá también una herramienta que no requiere programación.

II: Reading/Lectura, 5:00pm-6:30pm

The CantoVerso reading will allow workshop participants to share their outcomes. Milton Läufer will read from his generated texts in Spanish and English. Nick Montfort will read from his recent books, the collaboration 2x6 (in English and Spanish) and Autopia. Books will be available for purchase; programs will also be available online.

La lectura CantoVerso permitirá a los participantes del taller compartir sus resultados. Milton Läufer leerá de sus obras de generación de textos en español e inglés. Nick Montfort leerá de dos libros recientes, la colaboración 2x6 (en inglés y español) y Autopia. Se venderán copias; los programas estarán disponibles en línea.

Enrollment IN THE WORKSHOP limited to 20; Anyone may attend the READING

Sponsor(s): Comparative Media Studies/Writing
Contact: Nick Montfort, nickm@nickm.com


I: Workshop/Taller

Jan/19 Thu 03:00PM-04:30PM 14N-233

Nick Montfort, Milton Laufer


II: Reading/Lectura

Jan/19 Thu 05:00PM-06:30PM 14E-304

Nick Montfort, Milton Laufer


Hacking the Holodeck: An Introduction to Touch and Virtual Reality

Marcelo Coelho, Lecturer, Architecture, Daniel Leithinger, CDO/Co-Founder, Lumii

Jan/09 Mon 10:00AM-12:00PM IDC N52 3rd floor, Bring laptop with Unity and Arduino IDE installed
Jan/10 Tue 10:00AM-12:00PM IDC N52 3rd floor, Bring laptop with Unity and Arduino IDE installed
Jan/11 Wed 10:00AM-12:00PM IDC N52 3rd floor, Bring laptop with Unity and Arduino IDE installed
Jan/12 Thu 10:00AM-12:00PM IDC N52 3rd floor, Bring laptop with Unity and Arduino IDE installed
Jan/13 Fri 10:00AM-12:00PM IDC N52 3rd floor, Bring laptop with Unity and Arduino IDE installed
Jan/17 Tue 10:00AM-12:00PM IDC N52 3rd floor, Bring laptop with Unity and Arduino IDE installed
Jan/18 Wed 10:00AM-12:00PM IDC N52 3rd floor, Bring laptop with Unity and Arduino IDE installed
Jan/19 Thu 10:00AM-12:00PM IDC N52 3rd floor, Bring laptop with Unity and Arduino IDE installed
Jan/20 Fri 10:00AM-12:00PM IDC N52 3rd floor, Bring laptop with Unity and Arduino IDE installed

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/04
Limited to 15 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: see description

In 1965, Ivan Sutherland proposed the vision of an “Ultimate Display”: a room that could render data so realistically that it would allow users to interact with information as if it were a real, physical object. Since then, the idea of such an environment has become increasingly popular and has captured people’s imagination through the Star Trek Holodeck, The Matrix, and most recently, Westworld.

In this course, students will learn how to build immersive computer interfaces that allow us to feel and touch data in real life. Building on the rich history of Virtual and Augmented Reality at MIT (and beyond), we will explore the state of the art in shape changing displays, soft robotics, haptic interfaces, and wearables, while combining them with virtual reality interfaces such as the HTC Vive and Google Cardboard.

Through this hybrid lecture and studio workshop students will learn how to create physical user interfaces and haptics for virtual reality. Hands-on experience with common VR devices and prototyping tools such as Unity and Arduino will introduce students to current state of the art research and provide a platform for development and experimentation.   

Should have either a working knowledge of programming, electronics, or 3D modelling. Experience with Unity and Arduino is a bonus. Students will work in small cross-disciplinary groups and will be provided with a basic software toolchain and hardware on which to develop their projects.

May be offered for credit. TBD

Sponsor(s): MIT-SUTD Collaboration, Architecture
Contact: Marcelo Coelho, email@cmarcelo.com


Media for Movement Building: Making Podcasts about Urban Planning in East Boston

Allegra Williams, Director of Campus and Community Learning, Lawrence Barriner, CoLab Radio, Interim Director

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/04
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: Preference for audio recording experience, but open to all

Over the course of 2 weeks, students will engage in a hands-on audio production workshop exploring urban planning issues in East Boston through multiple lenses. East Boston is a fascinating neighborhood for those interested in urban planning because of its unique geography, history, and shifting demographics. Long a neighborhood of immigrants trying to find their footing in America, the neighborhood’s seafront has recently attracted significant real estate investment that is leading to gentrification and displacement. Students will have an opportunity to explore and learn about the neighborhood firsthand as they journey to listen to the stories of interviewees, embark on walking tours, and engage in sound collection as a method of place-based inquiry. Workshop sessions will be focused on a range of topics relevant for producing a long-form interview for podcast, including understanding story structure, creating audio narratives, and editing. The course will be co-facilitated by the MIT Community Innovators Lab (CoLab) and Radio Producer, Marie Choi, of Making Contact, a social justice radio program based in the Bay Area. In advance of registering for the class, please email course instructors, Marie Choi (mchoi@radioproject.org) and Lawrence Barriner II (lqb@mit.edu) with a brief statement (200 words max) including why you're interested in the course, any past media/audio production experience, and a hyperlink or reference to your favorite (preferably audio) interview. 

Sponsor(s): MIT-SUTD Collaboration, Urban Studies and Planning, Community Innovators Lab
Contact: Lawrence Barriner, 9-238, lqb@mit.edu


Media for Movement Building

Jan/09 Mon 03:00PM-08:00PM 9-217, Students will need to bring their own laptops
Jan/10 Tue 03:00PM-08:00PM 9-217, Students will need to bring their own laptops
Jan/11 Wed 03:00PM-08:00PM 9-217, Students will need to bring their own laptops
Jan/12 Thu 03:00PM-08:00PM 9-217, Students will need to bring their own laptops
Jan/13 Fri 03:00PM-08:00PM 9-217, Students will need to bring their own laptops
Jan/17 Tue 03:00PM-08:00PM 9-217, Students will need to bring their own laptops
Jan/18 Wed 03:00PM-08:00PM 9-217, Students will need to bring their own laptops
Jan/19 Thu 03:00PM-08:00PM 9-217, Students will need to bring their own laptops

Allegra Williams - Director of Campus and Community Learning, Marie Choi - Radio Producer, Lawrence Barriner - CoLab Radio, Interim Director


Media Lab Director's Fellows Sheila Hayman's Documentary Film Festival

Sheila Hayman, Media Lab Director's Fellow, Filmmaker

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/10
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: none

During the month of January the Media Lab will screen some of Director's Fellow Sheila Hayman documentary films once a week. On the week of January 23rd, Sheila will be at the Lab, and will host an informal conversation about her films with the students interested in watching them, on January 27, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. The subjects of these films go back to the times when Internet was just being introduced to the masses, and many other technological advancements and discoveries. Sheila believes it might be good to show parts of all of these as a way of introducing where she comes from, creatively, and what we might do together, next. The films will include:

Films to be shown:

Jan. 11: A Short History of the Future: The City (1986) 

Jan. 18: A Short History of the Future: The Spaceship (1986)

Jan. 27: Horizon: The Electronic Frontier (1993) (Sheila Hayman will be in attendance)

 

Contact: Claudia Robaina, E14 Third Floor Atrium, 917-573-8682, robaina@media.mit.edu


A Short History of the Future: The City

Jan/11 Wed 04:00PM-05:00PM E14 3rd Fl. Atrium

As a young filmmaker, Sheila began to wonder where our image of 'the future' came from: all those self-driving cars, helicopters, teleportation machines and automatic everything. She discovered that it all started at the turn of the 20th century, a period as exciting as our own, when motorcars, electricity, X-rays, cinema, the telephone, radio and metal framed building technology arrived within a couple of decades.

Claudia Robaina - Coordinator, Media Lab Director's Fellows Program


ShortHistory of the Future:The Spaceship

Jan/18 Wed 04:00PM-05:00PM E14 3rd fl Atrium

Originally supposed to be a single film, it became two when I discovered the extraordinary story of the codependency of the film and space industries in 20th century America. The movie business gave a concrete form to dreams of space travel before it even existed: the space industry gave the movies great stories in which dilemmas of the time were, and are, played out in allegory.

Claudia Robaina - Coordinator, Media Lab Director's Fellows Program


Horizon: The Electronic Frontier

Jan/27 Fri 04:00PM-06:00PM E14 3rd fl. Atrium

Made in 1993, this was the first network documentary to tell the story of the digital revolution, then unfolding on the West Coast of America. From online communities to the vanishing High St, from invisible digital retouching and graphical user interfaces to copy-and-paste editing, it's all here. It also includes the first major interview with Bill Gates, then just a fresh-faced nerd in a Seattle office.

Claudia Robaina - Coordinator, Media Lab Director's Fellows Program, Sheila Hayman - Media Lab Director's Fellow, Filmmaker


Musical Instrument Design Workshop/Make-a-thon

Ken Zolot, Senior Lecturer

Feb/03 Fri 01:30PM-05:30PM tbd

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 02/02
Limited to 100 participants
Prereq: none

Join visiting students from Berklee College of Music as we explore the frontiers of musical instrument design and fabrication. This event will feature multi-disciplinary teams building new musical instruments. Students will: construct interfaces for musical expression using sensors and sound design software; work in interdisciplinary teams and use rapid prototyping skills; explore the possibilities of network enabled musical performance; investigate how embedded technologies or biometric sensors can turn household objects or humans into sound outputs, and design new ways to sync music with one’s everyday life. Topics will also include entrepreneurship and new product launch strategies.

Please note that the workshop will be held at a special off-campus location. We'll send you directions once you've enrolled. Please enroll for the Feb 3 workshop by completing this form:

http://bit.ly/iapmusic

This is session is a pre-semester sneak preview of a full-term new subject, 2.S972, described here:

http://web.mit.edu/founders/www/2.S972.html

Students can enroll in 2.S972 without attending the IAP workshop on Feb 3, or can attend the IAP workshop on Feb 3 without enrolling in 2.S972.

Sponsor(s): Mechanical Engineering
Contact: Ken Zolot, 32-G528, ZOLOT@MIT.EDU