Hi Joe,  (sorry if this seems like spam - note the AVR decision)

We are holding two workshop on Physical Interaction Design at Stanford this
summer that you will like.

<http://www-ccrma.stanford.edu/workshops/2002/#HCI1>

Send beginners to week one: July 22 - July 26
Come yourself to week two: July 29 - August 2

The domain is music but the tools and techniques generalize.
We hope to make a bridge between creativity and practicality.
The first week is an intensive introduction to prototyping interactions.
The second week is a broad look at controllers for computer music.

We are introducing our own microcontroller-based prototyping system.

Rather than the BasicStamp or BasicX, we are using Atmel AVRs.
AVR is the chip on the BasicX; it is inexpensive ($10) and well matched to
simple data acquisition and control. You can take home our kit - an array of
sensors, the Atmel system, and a set of sample programs and libraries.

AVRs were the first to allow in-circuit programming and are used in teaching
embedded systems here at Stanford (EE281). There is a broad family of
inexpensive processors and once a prototype is completed, usually a smaller
chip can be chosen to fit the application.  I use an AVR mega163 for The
Plank, my force-feedback controller.

We will introduce just enough assembly language but mostly use C.
Music programming will be done with PD but also Max/MSP.
You can use CCRMA's Linux systems or bring your own Windows Laptop or a
Macintosh if it runs OSX or Virtual PC; you must be able to get MIDI into
your computer.

During the fist week, we will cover technology and interaction basics:
--sensors, circuits, data acquisition, serial communication, programming.
--mappings, modes, metaphors, motivations, scenarios, task analysis.

The second week will include a quick review of the first week
plus more focus on music and performance. We should be able to actually
complete and perform with our new controllers.

You can get campus housing, enjoy the facilities and take in the Stanford
Jazz Festival every evening. <http://www.stanfordjazz.org/>

Hope to see you this summer!  --Bill <[log in to unmask]>