Email Paul Mirel to reserve your space! - pmirel@mica.edu

 

Who can come? 

MICA Faculty, Staff, Graduate, Undergraduate, Open Studies Students

You can attend any of these hands-on workshops. You can attend as many as you like or just one. There are no prerequisites. The workshops are not sequential. There is no charge for the workshops.

 

Where are the workshops? 

In the dFab Classroom, S120, in the MICA Station Building, 1400 Cathedral St. 

 

When are the workshops? 

Sundays, 3pm to 5pm. See dates below in the workshop list.

 

What should I bring with me?  

A laptop computer is helpful to have with you. 

 

January 28 - Mimic nature with an electronic control system. 

Why is it so hard to swat a fly? How does the fly know that you are trying to swat it? Flies react to changing light levels. When it starts to get darker fast, as it might when a hand or a bird approaches, the fly's nervous system identifies that as dangerous, and moves the fly away from the danger. We will build and program a circuit to react to changing light levels as a fly does. Come learn about how to conceive of and build and program an electronic control system. 
 

February 4 - Control Systems Follow-up. 

Have an idea for a control system? Want to try the Fly Mimic control system again? 
Come to consult with Paul on matters pertaining to electronic control systems. Come practice with the Fly Mimic system. 
 

February 11 - Building Electronics: Best Practices

Do you want to use electronics in your artwork? Do you want to make them easy to debug, for when they inevitably stop working? Do you want those electronics to work during Crit? During exhibition? 
Learn how to plan, organize, assemble, and package electronics systems to make them both reliable and easy to service. We will build a system, discuss components, wiring, connectors, and power, and how to make your systems modular for ease of testing. 
 

February 18 - Using Transistors to Drive Powerful Electronic Components

Do you want your art to move? Do you want to control bright lights? Water pumps? Fans?

Learn how to build transistor circuits to control motors and lights. 

Transistors are the fundamental unit of modern electronics. Learn how to use them. 

 

February 25 - Transistors Follow-up

What powerful electronic thing do you want to control? How did that transistor circuit go together?

Come to consult with Paul about transistors and how to use them. Come practice with the components.