Loe Fejis & Christoph Bartneck
Published Online: Dec 15, 2009
Abstract |References| Full Text: HTML, PDF (464 KB)

Abstract

We propose a new method of teaching the principles of geometry to design students. The students focus on a field of design in which geometry is the design: tessellation. We review different approaches to geometry and the field of tessellation before we discuss the setup of the course. Instead of employing 2D drawing tools, such as Adobe Illustrator, the students define their tessellation in mathematical formulas, using the Mathematica software. This procedure enables them to understand the mathematical principles on which graphical tools, such as Illustrator are built upon. But we do not stop at a digital representation of their tessellation design we continue to cut their tessellations in Perspex. It moves the abstract concepts of math into the real world, so that the students can experience them directly, which provides a tremendous reward to the students.

Keywords: Design, math, tessellation, Escher, geometry

Biographical statement

Dr. Christoph Bartneck is an assistant professor in the Department of Industrial Design at the Eindhoven University of Technology. He has a background in Industrial Design and Human-Computer Interaction, and his projects and studies have been published in various journals, newspapers, and conferences. His interests lie in the fields of social robotics, Design Science, and Multimedia Applications. He has worked for several companies including the Technology Centre of Hannover (Germany), LEGO (Denmark), Eagle River Interactive (USA), Philips Research (Netherlands), and ATR (Japan). Christoph is an associate editor of the International Journal of Social Robotics.

Email: c.bartneck@tue.nl

Prof. dr. ir. Loe Feijs (1954) studied Electrical Engineering at TU/e where he graduated in 1979 in the group Information and Communication Theory. He joined Philips Telecommunications Industry, later AT&T-Philips Telecom and in 1984 Feijs changed to the Philips Natuurkundig Laboratorium In 1990 he obtained a Ph.D. in Computer Science of TU/e. In 1994 Feijs was appointed part-time professor at TU/e Mathematics and Computer Science. From 1998 to 2001 he was scientific director of the Eindhoven Embedded Systems Institute and in 2001 he was appointed full professor for the chair Industrial Design of Embedded Systems.

Email: l.m.g.feijs@tue.nl

Abstract |References| Full Text: HTML, PDF (464 MB)