The primary text for the course is Brooks, Rodney A., "Flesh and Machines". It should be available in the bookstore or on-line. There will be other readings taken from various media. We also may see some movies. Details of the reading assignments will appear here or on the bulletin board as occasion dictates. Students are responsible for completing the reading assignments in a timely manner, and will be graded accordingly.

Teams (usually of three members) will be assigned to work on projects. Each team member will have specific responsibilities upon which other members of the team will rely. Effectiveness in organization, planning and completion of the team project, both individually and as a whole, will be a significant contribution to the course grade.

Homework will be assigned, aside from the readings mentioned above, as is appropriate to focus attention on particular matters of interest that may arise during the conduct of the course. Homework should be submitted in a timely manner and be neat, legible and literate. You should regard homework as "mini research projects" and so apply proper research techniques to these assignments. Homework will be corrected and so will be part of your overall course grade.

There will be two or three (depending on class progress) exams during the semester, and a comprehensive final exam. A report in the form of a term paper and team report on your team's project are to be submitted for grading at the end of the semester. You should keep a journal of your work, including a running account of activity and results related to your team project. (In the science business we call this a lab notebook.) I will ask for an update on your progress from time to time, and this will be accomplished by reviewing your lab notebook.