Course Syllabus

Course Information

ATEC 6354-501 Immersive Environments

Professor Contact Information

Lucy Petrovic
Phone: 972.883.4369
ATEC Building Office 1.618
Office Hours: Wednesdays 4:30-6:30pm

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions

ATEC graduate student.

Course Description

Advanced research in the conceptualization, creation, and application of interactive immersive environments,
including research in synthetic spaces, interactive game engines, and hybrid physical/virtual worlds.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

Course objectives are to provide an understanding of virtual immersive environments in theory and practice, to
construct virtual systems from abstract thought, and to examine virtual art projects. Students create conceptual
works, articulate principles of the reading assignments, and provide constructive criticism of works in progress.

Students create and evaluate interactive virtual environments. Students research and present documentation of
virtual immersive environments created by artists. Students are required to organize and direct a collaborative final
project for public exhibition and online documentation of the project.

Required Textbooks and Materials

Students are required to research articles that pertain to the subject matter.

* Intro, MU-puzzle, & Meaning and Form, from Godel, Escher, and Bach.
* How we Create Space Internally to Understand Our Word by Peter Anders, from Envisioning Cyberspace.
* Virtual Art-Digital! The Natural Interface, by Oliver Grau, from Virtual Art.

Articles may be added to this list during the semester.

Related Links

Suggested Course Materials

*Virtual Art: From Illusion to Immersion by Oliver Grau.
* Envisioning Cyberspace: Designing 3D Electronic Spaces by Peter Anders.

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* Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas R. Hofstadter.
* Leonardo Oxford, International Society for the Arts, Science and Technology Journal.

Grading Policy

All students are expected to attend classes on a regular basis. To be able to have an understanding of the course
content and complete the assignments in an outstanding manner one needs to participate in all of the lectures,
discussions and demonstrations of the class.

* Class participation and discussions = 20%

Prepare discussion questions on each reading assignment due on discussion days.
* In-depth oral / media presentation = 15%
Research one project of a virtual immersive environment that is considered fine art and present to the class the
artist’s body of work. Show visuals to help represent the works. Contact artist via email and generate a question to
virtually interview your artist; write appropriate text.
* Aural/Visual presentation of immersive environment of choice = 15%
* 2 short projects = 20%
* Final Project and documentation = 30%

The final project will be a collaborative project where students are responsible for their individual sections in the
immersive environment. Students are responsible to exhibit work in public and create documentation of this final
project.

Course & Instructor Policies

To expedite learning process for all, be ready with all assignments on days due. Late work will only be accepted
under major extenuating circumstances. All late works receives lower grades.

Please review the university Policies and Procedures :

http://provost.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies/

Academic Calendar & Assignments

Week 1 August 25
Class: Overview of class and virtual immersive environments.

 Homework Assignments:
 Prepare a class presentation of one of your visual works from a previous semester for presentation.
 Read: Godel, Escher, Bach, pg 3-63:
o Introduction: A Musico-Logical Offering
o Chapter 1: The MU-puzzle
o Chapter 2: Meaning and Form in Mathematics
 Formulate discussion questions on your reading assignment.

Week 2 September 1
Class: Presentations of students’ past works. +Discuss reading assignment on Godel, Escher, Bach. + 1st project.

 Homework Assignments:
 Research immersive environment projects created by artists.
 Begin creating the first project, an environment based on the reading assignment.

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Week 3 September 8
Class: 1st Project due. Present work.

 Homework Assignments:
 Read: ‘How We Create Space Internally to Understand Our World’ by Peter Anders.
 Formulate discussion questions.

Week 4 September 15
Class: Discuss Peter Anders' article. Sign up for presentation artists. +Discussion on how to formulate the 2nd
project.

 Homework Assignments:
 Begin work on 2nd project.
 Work on presentation.

Week 5 September 22
Class: Work on 2nd project.

 Homework Assignments:
 Complete project and work on presentation.

Week 6 September 29
Class: 2nd project due. Present work.

 Homework Assignments:
 Read ‘Virtual Art’ by Oliver Grau (both sections).
 Work on presentation.

Week 7 October 6
Class: Discuss Oliver Grau's sections.

 Homework Assignments:
 Work on presentation.
 Formulate the final project.

Week 8 October 13
Class: Presentation on artists due.

 Homework Assignments:
 Research and create presentation of immersive environments of choice
 Write a one-page proposal of the final project.

Week 9 October 20
Class: Andy Clark Lecture 'Natural-born Cyborgs? Reflections on Bodies, Minds, and Human Enhancement', 7:30
pm, Davidson Auditorium, School of Management. +Discuss Enhancement.

 Homework Assignment:
 Work on 2nd presentation.

Week 10 October 27
Class: Student 2nd presentations due. +Discuss group final proposal.

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  Homework Assignment:
 Begin work on final project.

Week 11 November 3
Class: For the remainder of the semester we will use class time to critique progress on final projects, troubleshoot
any problems, discuss how your visuals work in this 3D space. +Organizing an exhibition.

 Homework Assignments:
 Work on final project and documentation.

Week 12 November 10
Class: Critique progress on final projects, troubleshoot any problems, discuss how your visuals work in this 3D
space. Report on progress of exhibition details and documentation of the final project.

 Homework Assignments:
 Work on final project and documentation.

Week 13 November 17
Class: Jonathan Tippett Lecture 'Expanding the Human Experience Through Machines', 7:30 pm, Davidson
Auditorium, School of Management.
+Discuss 'Machines'.

 Homework Assignments:
 Begin documentation.
 Organize exhibition of final project.
 Work on final project.

Week 14 November 24
Class: Final Project due. Public exhibition.

 Homework Assignments:
 Complete documentation of final project.
 Write a two page group assessment and a critique of the final project.

Week 15 December 1
Documentation of Final Project due. Critique Final Project.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the professor.

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