Bill Verplank: Haptics and Scanned Sythesis

Bill Verplank is an interaction designer, human-factors engineer and visiting scholar at Stanford University, USA.

ABSTRACT:
We have developed a course on the design of "controllers" based on the premise that the physical design of interfaces influences the style of human-computer interaction. By inventing new devices, we experiment with new forms of interaction.
Rather than comparing existing devices like joysticks and tablets, we build with simple components (potentiometers, force-sensitive resistors, photo resistors, shaft encoders). We teach some basic electronic for sensors, microporcessor programming, OSC and Pd for music processing Then the students build devices that must work.
I will describe some of my philosophy of interaction design (metaphors, modes, mappings, etc) as well as some of the projects. Our theme this year is "expressive" control and what allows it.

Bill Verplank will also be giving a talk on  November 17th, 3pm, Strathcona Music Building, 555 Sherbrooke St. West, MTCL.
Title: Haptics and Scanned Sythesis
Abstract:
Haptics and Scanned Sythesis: How controllers with active force-feedback lead to a new music synthesis scheme. At Interval Research, Bill Verplank, Rob Shaw and Max Mathews invented a scheme for music synthesis that starts with haptically manipulating a dynamic object (real or virtual) whose shape is scanned at audio rates.

http://www.billverplank.com/professional.html