Instructor: Megan Hofmann
Email: m.hofmann@northeastern.edu
Description
This course explores digital fabrication, introducing students to various technologies such as 3D printers, laser cutting, and industrial knitting machines. Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices behind these digital fabrication tools, emphasizing two key learning outcomes. First, students will learn to leverage digital fabrication technologies to prototype and create innovative physical devices and objects. Through hands-on projects, they will gain practical experience using these tools to bring their ideas to life. Second, the course delves into the technical aspects of digital fabrication technologies, examining how design tools are created and how they shape the possibilities and limitations of the design process. As part of this objective, students will undertake a project to build their design tool, exploring how its features influence different types of design. By the end of the course, students will have acquired the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the world of digital fabrication, understanding its practical applications and the technical nuances that drive its evolution.
Time
Mondays and Wednesdays: 2:50 pm to 4:30 pm (EST)
Location
EXP 311
Registration
Subject and Course Number: CS4973, CS7390
CRN: Undergraduate 19755, Graduate 19760
Credit Hours: 4
Section: 04, 01
Course Materials
- This course does not require a textbook.
- This course will require a programming environment such as VSCode or Pycharm.
- This course will require Autodesk Fusion 360.
- Students will be asked to make things (e.g., 3D print, knit) objects as a part of this class and are responsible for providing their materials.
- We estimate no more than $200 in expenses are needed for all assignments.
- If you use assignments in this class as a part of research at Northeastern University, please contact your supervisor about purchasing materials.
- Financial burdens should not prevent you from being successful in this class. Please let the instructor know if you have concerns about affording any materials for these assignments.
Course Learning Outcomes:
By completing this course, you should gain the following:
- Confidence in using digital fabrication tools such as 3D printers and understanding the relationship between digital tools and manufacturing equipment.
- Understand the components of a digital fabrication design tool and how these affect what we can make.
- An awareness of the latest advances in digital fabrication research in human-computer interaction.
Course Schedule (Subject to change)
| Week | Assignments | Date | Topic | Reading for In Class Discussion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Assigned Design Something | 9/6 | Course Overview | |
| 2 | Recommended Due Friday, 9/15: Design Something Assigned EXP Trainings Fabricate Something | 9/11 | Introduction to MakerspacesEXP Makers Training: 3:30+ | Barriers and Benefits: The Path to Accessible MakerspacesActions https://doi.org/10.1145/3597638.3608414 |
| 9/13 | 3D Printing + Training | 3D Printed Hair: Fused Deposition Modeling of Soft Strands, Fibers, and Bristles https://doi.org/10.1145/2807442.2807484 | ||
| 3 | Recommended Due 9/22: EXP Trainings Fabricate Something Assigned Make for A Person | 9/18 | Laser Cutting + Training | HingeCore: Laser-Cut Foamcore for Fast Assembly https://doi.org/10.1145/3526113.3545618 |
| 9/20 | Fabric | Scaling E-Textile Production: Understanding the Challenges of Soft Wearable Production for Individual Creators https://doi.org/10.1145/3544794.3558475 | ||
| 4 | Recommended Due 9/29: Make for a Person Assigned Understand a Maker | 9/25 | Human-Centered Prototyping | Probes Toolkits and Prototypes: Three Approaches to Making in Codesigning https://doi.org/10.1080/15710882.2014.888183 |
| 9/27 | Tangible Design Probes | Weaving Lighthouses and Stitching Stories: Blind and Visually Impaired People Designing E-Textiles https://doi.org/10.1145/3173574.3174044 | ||
| 5 | Recommended Due 9/22: EXP Trainings Fabricate Something Assigned Make for A Person | 10/2 | Building Useful Design Tools and Toolkits | Evaluating User Interface Systems Research https://doi.org/10.1145/1294211.1294256 |
| 10/4 | Design Representations (1) | KnitPicking Textures: Programming and Modifying Complex Knitted Textures for Machine and Hand Knitting https://doi.org/10.1145/3332165.3347886 | ||
| 6 | Recommended Due 10/13 Understand a Maker Assigned: KnitGraphs | 10/9: No Class | ||
| 10/11 | Design Representations (2) | Style2Fab: Functionality-Aware Segmentation for Fabricating Personalized 3D Models with Generative AI https://doi.org/10.1145/3586183.3606723 | ||
| 7 | Assigned Final Project KnitGraphs to Knitout | 10/16 | Machine Instructions (1) | A compiler for 3D machine knitting https://doi.org/10.1145/2897824.2925940 |
| 10/18 | Machine Instructions (2) | Efficient Transfer Planning for Flat Knitting https://doi.org/10.1145/3213512.3213515 | ||
| 8 | Recommended Due 10/27: KnitGraphs | 10/23: Async | Knit Script Tutorial | No In-Class Discussion: KnitScript: A Domain-Specific Scripting Language for Advanced Machine Knitting https://doi.org/10.1145/3586183.3606789 |
| 10/25 | Guest Lecture | No In-Class Discussion | ||
| 9 | Recommended Due 10/27: KnitGraphs | 10/30 | Guest Lecture | No In-Class Discussion |
| 11/1: Async | Novel Designs Tool Watch Party | No In-Class Discussion | ||
| 10 | Recommended Due 11/10: KnitGraphs to Knitout Assigned Knitting UI Sketch | 11/6 | Direct Modeling Interfaces | Choose a new UIST paper to bring to class. |
| 11/8 | Prescriptive Interfaces | Greater than the Sum of its Parts: Expressign and Reusing Design Intent in 3D Models https://doi.org/10.1145/3173574.3173875 | ||
| 11 | Recommended Due 11/17: Knitting UI Sketch | 11/13 | Generative Design 1 | Design Adjectives: A Framework for Interactive Model-Guided Exploration of Parameterized Design Spaces https://doi.org/10.1145/3379337.3415866 |
| 11/15 | Generative Design 2 | Optimism: Enabling Collaborative Implementation of Domain-Specific Metaheuristic Optimization https://doi.org/10.1145/3544548.3580904 | ||
| 12 | Recommended Due 11/17: Knitting UI Sketch | 11/20 | Interfaces and Users | OmniSoft: A Design Tool for Soft Objects by Example https://doi.org/10.1145/3430524.3440634 |
| 11/22: No Class | ||||
| 13 | 11/27 | Special Topics: Accessibility | Sharing is Caring: Assistive Technology Designs on Thingiverse https://doi.org/10.1145/2702123.2702525 | |
| 11/29 | Special Topics: Medical Making | “Point of Care Manufacturing”: Maker Perspectives on Digital Fabrication in Medical Practice https://doi.org/10.1145/3359193 | ||
| 14 | All Small Projects, Reading Discussions, and Skill Checks Due Without Extension 12/8: | 12/4 | Final Presentations | No In-Class Discussion |
| 12/6 | Final Presentations | No In-Class Discussion | ||
| 15: Finals | All Final Project Deliverables Due WEDNESDAY 12/13 | No Class |
Assignments
Reading and Discussion (10%)
Before each class, you are expected to have read the assigned research paper related to topics in class. These papers will give you a broad sense of the space of digital fabrication research in HCI and should inspire you in your assignment.
Discussion Participation (up to 5%)
There will be 16 discussion periods. Each will count at 0.5% of this grade. You must participate in at least 10 discussions to receive full points. Your discussion lead day does not count toward participation.
Discussion Lead (5%)
You will be assigned 1 paper to lead the class discussion. We recommend reading this paper extra thoroughly and investigating who the authors are, their other related research, and related research at the publication venue. You will need to give a verbal summary of the paper and lead a 15-minute in-class discussion of the paper. Before class, prepare 3 to 5 discussion questions. It’s ok if we don’t get to all of your questions. Submit your discussion notes to Canvas.
You may swap paper assignments with other students. Both students will need to send an email to the instructor requesting the swap. If you cannot attend your assigned paper day and cannot find someone to swap, contact the instructor as soon as possible.
Skill Checks (10% of Final Grade, Peer Graded)
These small assignments are designed to check that you are learning the practical skills in this class: craft, fabrication, digital design, and human-centered methods. These are meant to be low-stakes assignments. They are pass/fail. If you turn something in, you get full credit.
Peer Graded: These assignments are peer-reviewed. This means that you need to find a peer to review your design. For each assignment, find a peer to share your design with. To ensure everyone is participating in peer review, we expect you to peer review at least 2 assignments for your peers.
- Peer Review 1 (1%)
- Peer Review 2 (1%)
- Design Something (2%)
- Fabricate Something (2%)
- Make for a Person (2%)
- Knitting UI Sketch (2%)
Small Projects (30% of Final Grade)
- Understand a Maker (10%)
- KnitGraphs (10%)
- KnitGraphs to Knitout (10%)
Final Project (50% of Final Grade)
- Proposal (5%)
- 3 Artifacts (15%, 5% each)
- Presentation (10%)
- Paper (10%)
- System/Demo (10%)
Course Policies
Grading
Each grade is assigned points equal to percentage points in your final grade.
Grades will not be weighted. No extra credit will be available. Letter grades will be assigned as the following:
| Letter Grade | Grade Range By Percentage | |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | Graduate | |
| A | 92 to 100 | |
| A- | 90 to 91.9 | |
| B+ | 88 to 89.9 | |
| B | 82 to 87.9 | |
| B- | 80 to 81.9 | |
| C+ | 78 to 79.9 | |
| C | 72 to 77.9 | |
| C- | 70 to 71.9 | |
| D+ | 68 to 69.9 | NA |
| D | 62 to 67.9 | NA |
| D- | 60 to 61.9 | NA |
| F | Less than 60 | Less than 70 |
Attendance
Students are not evaluated based on their attendance. However, we do not expect students to succeed in this course if they do not regularly attend and actively participate in lectures. In many cases, the content of this course is not covered in readily accessible online materials, and classes are the best place to engage the instructor and fellow students.
All classes will be in person and recorded. Students can access these recordings through Canvas and are expected to watch any lectures they miss.
Faculty / Student Communications
If you have any questions regarding this course, please email the instructor. Please expect a response within 2 business days.
If you would like to schedule a meeting about this course outside of office hours, please book one using this booking page. Meetings outside of office hours should be reserved for private conversations with the instructor and are not guaranteed.
Academic Integrity
A commitment to the principles of academic integrity is essential to the mission of Northeastern University. The promotion of independent and original scholarship ensures that students derive the most from their educational experience and their pursuit of knowledge. Academic dishonesty violates the most fundamental values of an intellectual community and undermines the achievements of the entire University.
As members of the academic community, students must become familiar with their rights and responsibilities. In each course, they are responsible for knowing the requirements and restrictions regarding research and writing, examinations of whatever kind, collaborative work, the use of study aids, the appropriateness of assistance, and other issues. Students are responsible for learning the conventions of documentation and acknowledgment of sources in their fields. Northeastern University expects students to complete all examinations, tests, papers, creative projects, and assignments of any kind according to the highest ethical standards, as set forth either explicitly or implicitly in this Code or by the direction of instructors.
Go to https://osccr.sites.northeastern.edu/academic-integrity-policy/ to access the full academic integrity policy.
Violations of Academic Integrity will result in an automatic 0 on any involved assignments.
Cheating FAQ:
Can I use ChatGPT or other generative AI Tools?
Yes, you can use these tools at your own risk. Be aware that you are responsible for the content of your submissions. If these systems make false statements, it will have the same effect as you making a false statement. If the system plagiarizes another’s work, it will have the same effect as you plagiarizing work.
Use these tools where they are helpful to your learning. If you do use these tools, cite them. Note that citation will not change your responsibility for repeating what you have cited.
Can I work with my classmates?
Yes, and you should! Do not turn in the work of others and call it your own.
Can I use outside sources?
Yes, and you will need to! This class relies on you going out and seeking knowledge about making things from various places. Keep track of your sources and cite them.
Academic Resources
Student Accommodations
We will work to provide you with any accommodations within our power that serve your learning goals.
The purpose of accommodations is not to make learning easy; it is to make learning effective. We all have different needs and learning styles that require flexibility.
The goal of the class is for every student to be successful. If you have any needs that are not being met in the course or a situation arises that is affecting your coursework, please feel free to bring these things to the instructor’s attention so that we can work together to find the best solution for you. We will not disclose your disability status without your permission.
Default Accommodations
- All lectures will be recorded for viewing after class
- All lectures will be automatically transcribed over Zoom. Transcripts will be made available to students.
- All lecture materials will be posted to Canvas at least an hour before class.
- Students can attend office hours online over Zoom or in person.
- This class does not include timed assignments or exams
- All assignments are marked with a recommended and mandatory deadline. Students do not need special permission to submit assignments by the later mandated deadline. All other extensions require permission from the instructor.
Disability Resouce Center
We encourage you to use University resources to support and document your accommodation needs. However, we also recognize that these systems are not available to every student in a timely manner. To prevent delays in accommodation, we encourage you to connect with the instructor and university services as early as possible.
Northeastern University and the Disability Resource Center (DRC) are committed to providing disability services that enable students who qualify under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADA) to participate fully in the university’s activities. To receive accommodations through the DRC, students must provide appropriate documentation demonstrating a substantially limiting disability.
For more information, visit: https://drc.sites.northeastern.edu/registered-students/