About

Designing for the Internet of Things
Fall 2019, Carnegie Mellon University

Course Prefix & Number 49-713 (6 units)
Meeting times Tu: 15:30-17.20
Th: 15:30-18.20
Locations Tu/Th: III 103 (Main Classroom)
Instructor Daragh Byrne
Teaching Assistants: Andrew Joseph Plesniak
Vaibhav Gupta
Office Hours: Tuesday:
Byrne & Plesniak Tuesday - 18.00-19.30
Gupta: Friday 13.30-15.00
Lab Content: DIoT Lab Site

Course Description

Thermostats, locks, power sockets, and lights are all being imbued with ‘smarts’ making them increasingly aware and responsive to their environment and users. This course will chart the emergence of the now ‘connected world’ to explore the possibilities for future products and connected spaces with the Internet of Things. This introductory, hands-on course invites students to creating connected products without any knowledge of programming, electronics or systems. Students will be introduced to interactive connected technologies through a series of hands on exercises, collaborative projects, in-depth discussions, and instructor led tutorials. Topics explored will include awareness, real-time sensing and communication, embedded intelligence, and designing experiences for the internet of things. By the end of this course, students will be familiar with the core skills, the considerations involved and design process required to build a connected system. Students will also apply this learning in collaborative groups to realize a prototype connected device.

Course Content

Weekly Schedule

Week (Beginning) Summary
1 (Oct 21) Introduction to IoT and Connected Products
2 (Oct 28) Design Approaches for Networked Devices
3 (Nov 4) Exploring Ambience and Tangible Data
4 (Nov 11) Envisioning Connectivity for Domestic Settings
5 (Nov 18) Considering Connectivity
6 (Nov 25) Looking to the Future
7 (Dec 2) IoT Ecosystems
8 (Dec 9) Final Presentations

Logistics

  1. All students taking the course must complete the online skills survey (see Canvas assignment)

  2. Our Slack community is the main hub for course updates, discussion and content (signup link available on Canvas). Read more about the slack and its role in the course. Use slack communications with the instructors and TA’s too (i.e. don’t email us!). Highly recommended: Download the Slack client for your smartphone or desktop and enable notifications!

  3. Creative projects should be documented on the Gallery. This site contains a guide to using the gallery. These are due before Tuesday’s class.

  4. It’s your responsibility to be familiar with the course policies and standards found in the full syllabus. If you cannot attend classes make sure you know what to do.

  5. There is a course fee and this gives you an IoT development kit. This should cover most of your needs for projects. But at times you’ll need special software, hardware or tools to complete your projects. Many of these will be made as part of this course. If there’s something else you need let us know.

  6. No late work accepted. Please don’t ask.