Course Description

Class Journal

 
   

Class Roster

 
    2/1 Week 1: What Is Exercise?

 
    2/8 Week 2: The Physical Intelligence Model

 
    2/15 Week 3: Visual and Kinesthetic Perception

 
    2/22   Monday Schedule: no class

 
    3/1 Week 4: Physical Thinking

 
    3/8 Week 5: Orientation Strategies: Balancing

 
    3/15 Week 6: Learning Movement

 
    3/22   Spring Break

 
    3/29 Week 7: Designing Physical Intelligence

 
    4/5 Week 8: E-motion

 
    4/12 Week 9: Applying Physical Intelligence

 
    4/19  

Patriot's Day Holiday: No Class

 
    4/26 Week 10: Complex Coordination: Walking

 
    5/3 Week 11: Z-Center Lobby Exhibition Set-Up

 
    5/12 Week 12:

Overview

 

Class

Week 4: Physical Thinking

 

LAB

Thinking through the body for engineering insights: exploring our precognitive understanding of physical principles/properties (eg, torsion, tension, weight, etc).

 

SEMINAR

Brainstorming session on project sketch prototypes.

 

class summary

Engineering insights are triggered as much by the physical action of using the prototypes--thinking with the body—as problem solving with pencil and paper.

A group brainstorming session on “rough sketch” mock-ups—rudimentary working prototypes of each design—provided an opportunity for students to describe their project and process thus far. Presentations included demonstrations and feedback, description of overall goals and relationship to the physical intelligence parameters:

Giving the body a movement problem to solve
Creating environments/devices which challenge habitual movements
Stimulating proprioception and balance
Involving whole body coordination

Students and instructors had a chance to try out the various devices (see images). Alex added suggestions on marketing and liability issues and engineering of the designs.

 

resources

Etan: Smart baseball bat
Movie
Instrumented bat providing feedback on swing speed and technique, using accelerometers, audio feedback etc.

Ben: Tiltable Wheelchair Treadmill
Image 1
Affordable, easily accessible treadmill device including variable resistance

Yuan: Giant Trackball Rehab Device
Inexpensive version of stroke rehab device that allows retraining of a variety arm movements.

Ben: “Rollerballs”
Image 1
Bearing caster set on wood hand-holds creates new challenges for common exercises such as push-ups and also offers possibility of exploring new movements

Tyler: Snowboard Training Harness
Image 1  |  Image 2  |  Image 3 |  Image 4  |  Movie
Simple single point shock-cord harness system allows dryland training of aerial snowboarding skills

Greg: “Airhead” Backstroke Support
Image 1  |  Image 2  |  Movie
Modified kickboard supports head and neck for easy learning of backstroke/floatation and also offers protection from crashes into pool wall

Kyle: “Waterskates”
Image 1
Hinged boots simulate skating action by offering one-way resistance in the water

 

Assignment

Refine 3-d mock-up based on in-class experience