ISP: innovation through art & design

Students from all study programs are welcome, even if you think you don’t have any creative or artistic skills!
In this Challenge-Based Learning course you work in interdisciplinary teams, set your own learning goals, and receive coaching from professionals -artist, designers & scientists. There is budget for guest lecturers, workshops and visits, and there is budget for materials, prototyping & installations.
You learn abstract, conceptual & speculative thinking to prepare for future challenges as an engineer.

Speel video

About the course

Studio-style group work

At the start of the course, you choose a project you want to work on, see the challenges for the coming semester below. Design/engineer/code/build, whatever you are good at, or want to become good at. Within your team you can make use of all the different competencies, and everyone can set their own learning goals. Maybe there are things you always wanted to learn, but never had the chance to, like soldering, (aluminum)welding, or trying out digital tools like Rhino 8 or KeyShot. You can use all available workshops, tools, and workspaces at TU/e innovation Space, and you will have easy acces to the TU/e Living Labs.

Schedule & registration

Course 1ZM250 is a semester course in timeslot C (Tue 09:00-12:30 & Fri 13:30-17:00) and starts in Q1 and Q3. The subscription deadlines are similar to the ones of other courses. Registration for this course is possible via Osiris 1ZM250.

Read these testimonials

Challenges 2024-2025 Semester 2

At the start of the course, the challenges for the semester are presented, followed by speed dates and drinks.
This semester you can choose between these challenges:

I Am A Sad Robot
This project by writer & philosopher Aaron Schuster explores a unique and philosophical question about the role and psychological state of AI in society. It links popular culture to theoretical approaches to artificial intelligence and psychopathology. This project provides a challenging research environment for students to work on the concepts of AI, mental health, and psychology. What does it mean to pursue a technologically mediated optimal self, and what is at stake in AI?

NEMO festival
In spring 2025, NEMO Science Museum will open its new green roof. The roof will be a place where science, technology and nature come together and where everyone is invited to play and explore. Also, in June 2025, Amsterdam will grandly celebrate its 750th anniversary with a 10-day festival. Within this challenge, you will have the opportunity to create a programme component for NEMO visitors during the festival, such as an activity with an interactive installation, or a workshop.

Envision, Encounter, Embody Artificial Aliens
This project by designer/artist Hung Lu Chan explores the human imagination and perception of the unknown, with a specific focus on the alienness of AI. What if AI longed for a body? What form might embody the alien nature of its mind, and how could our perceptions of AI shift through interactions with such a body? By combining art and technology, it seeks to reframe our relationship with AI, drawing on non-human metaphors as a source of inspiration.

Depending on the number of students, more challenges may be offered.

Cursor article

Cursor wrote an article about this course, please check it out here! 

More information

Want to know more? Contact Isolde via the contact form below.