What is Physical Computing?

• Where the physical world interfaces with computing.

• Expanding input though sensors.

  -> More than touch interfaces and keyboard/mouse.

• Expanding output through actuators.

  -> More than displays.

Inputs & Outputs

Inputs - sensors

• Components that sense properties of the physical world

• Different ways to convert physical properties into electrical signals

  • Light

  • Simple/ complex touch

  • Temperature

  • Magnetism

  • Sound

  • simple / complex pictures

• Wide variety of sensors

  • simple to complex

  • cheap to expensive

Outputs - actuators

• Components that change properties in the physical world

• Different conversions of electrical signals into physical properties

  • Light

  • Sound

  • Displays

  • Motion

Signals

Digital vs Analog

• Analog signals are continuous with infinitely smooth transitions

• Digital signals are fixed "steps" with a set resolution

Conversions

• From an analog signal we sample at given rate and quantise with a given depth.

• From digital to analog we can only approximate through Pulse-Width-Modulation

Parallel vs Serial

• When we send signals we can send them in parallel or in serial