01: introduction and documentation
introduction
This page details what I learned with class 1, held on 23 June, 2020. I enrolled in the Harvard Summer Sсhool Introduction to Digital Fabrication course, otherwise known as PHYS S-12. There are similar courses, such as PHYSCI-70, that are held during the academic year at Harvard Extension School, but I specifically took PHYS S-12 in summer 2020.
course information
This course is a brief introduction to digital fabrication. In other words, this course will teach how to design, code, and build simple machines to execute simple things. As an example, it will help teach to build self-operating lamps or page-turning robots. In other words, this course will teach how to implement practical physics.
course structure
This course consists of two classes a week (held on Tuesday and Thursday), along with two lab sessions on alternating days (Mondays and Wednesdays). It is required to attend both of those, as they count toward participation and actually learning material. There is other reading material that can be found online, and is posted to the website page.
course instructors
This course is taught by Nathan Melenbrink and Robert Hart. Both work at Harvard University, one as a member of the Wyss Institute, and another as a professor of physics. The course also has a "TA" of sorts, Victoria Shen. All are extremely helpful with course information and with teaching (and assistance).
course websites
The main website for this course is Nathan's GitHub page.
Another useful website for technical issues, especially with programming and structuring, is Rob's GitHub page.
Some info may be posted to the Canvas website, such as the grades and the Zoom links for the meetings, but otherwise, the GitHub pages are the most widely used.
classes
Classes run each Tuesday and Thursday from 23 June up until 8 August, 2020, from 15:15 to 18:15 EDT. Each class has its agenda posted on the respective GitHub page, along with any materials that are necessary.
Everything I learned in any of the classes will be under the repsective class tab on the top, along with what I accomplished at home and in labs.
labs
Labs run on Mondays and Wednesdays, with 13:00-15:00 and 17:00-19:00 sections on Mondays, and 10:00-12:00 and 17:00-19:00 sections on Wednesdays. Labs run through until final project presentation on 8 August. You must choose one from each day, though you are not required to stay for the entire duration of the section.
assignments
Again, assignments will be posted on the GitHub pages under the class tab, and will detail what should be done (or at least attempted) by the next class session. While it is important to try to complete the assignment in its entirety by the specified deadline, the documentation of your learning and process is what is being actively graded.
All of my documentation for my assignments can be found under any of the assignment tabs on the top. It will be under the corresponding number for the respective assignment.
Classwork and participation each account for 30% of the final grade, respectively. Finally, a quick word about the final project.
final project
This course, and everything you learn in it, will culminate in the final project, which will be an exercise in design, programming, and execution. Once again, all progress and results should be documented on your personal webpage, and the presentations will take place on 8 August, 2020, the official end of the course.
All of this information, along with more in-depth explanations, can be found in the Syllabus located on the Canvas page (or the official S-12 GitHub page).
documentation
As previously stated, the bulk of the grade (60%) will assess one's documentation of their learning on their personal GitHub page. One must thoroughly document what they did in class, what they learned, what they did outside of class, and their progress in assignments, projects, labs, etc. This website is my thorough documentation of everything that I learned in this course. As a benchmark, it should be easily understandable and digestible, to the point that anyone reading it can replicate any projects I detailed. As another note, I frequently have gone back to previous class pages and updated them with other things I have learned (or newer success I had after the events of the class), but I do not timestamp those edits. If you are truly interested in the timestamps for all of the edits I make to the pages, you can look at the repository.
assignment
The first assignment has been to create this website and write up a proposal for the final project. I learned a lot about the essence of this course in the first session, and I have already started thinking up ideas for the final project (which can be found in the Final Project tab on top).
final message: 10 august, 2020
As of 10 August, 2020 (the publishing of this final bit), all documentation of this website has been finalized, and no further documentation will be added to this website. No additional photos, videos, code snippets, models, or commentary will be posted to this site. This website is meant to serve as the documentation of my learning during the Introduction to Digital Fabrication (PHYS S-12) course during Harvard Summer School 2020, and the program officially ended on 10 August. Thus, this website will no longer be edited and nothing will be added to it. This is why my biographical information may no longer be accurate at the time of reading of this page. It has been a fun run, but sadly, the course is over, and thus my documentation is also complete. Thank you to anyone and everyone who helped me along the way, and I am excited for future endeavors!