Human Senses and Perception

2023/2024

Recommended prerequisite for participation in the module

The module adds to the knowledge obtained in Interaction Design (2nd semester)

Content, progress and pedagogy of the module

Objectives:

We perceive and interpret the world around us using our senses. The same senses can also be deceived, often because we expect the world to look, sound or feel as we have been used to. Students who complete this module should be able to design systems that take advantage of the sensitivies and insensitivies of the human senses.

Learning objectives

Knowledge

Students who complete the module will obtain the following qualifications:

  • Must have knowledge of the basic physiology of the human senses (vision, hearing, touch and vestibular)
  • Must have knowledge about the sensitivity and limitations of the human senses (vision, hearing, touch and vestibular)
  • Must have knowledge about the basic principles of neural function and communication: neural firing, receptive fields and after-effects
  • Must be able to understand how objects and scenes are perceived
  • Must be able to understand attention theories
  • Must be able to understand motion perception theories
  • Must be able to understand frequency, amplitude, pitch, loudness and timbre of a sound
  • Must be able to understand masking effects
  • Must be able to understand Gestalt theories

Skills

Students who complete the module will obtain the following qualifications:

  • Must be able to apply a list of constraints with regards to human sensitivity when designing a medialogy application: limits of audibility and visibility; latency vs. reaction times, etc.
  • Must be able to apply knowledge of sensitivity when assigning computational resources in the design of digital media applications

Competences

Students who complete the module will obtain the following qualifications:

  • Must be able to apply general theories on perception to concrete phenomena and situations
  • Must be able to apply current knowledge on human perception in the evaluation of systems, reflecting on what users can and cannot perceive
  • Must be able to apply theories on human perception and attention in designs that take the human user into account

Type of instruction

Refer to the overview of instruction types listed in the start of chapter 3. The types of instruction for this course are decided in accordance with the current Joint Programme Regulations and directions are decided and given by the Study Board for Media Technology.

Exam

Exams

Name of examHuman Senses and Perception
Type of exam
Written or oral exam
In accordance with the current Joint Programme Regulations and directions on examination from the
Study Board for Media Technology:

To be eligible to take the exam the student must have fulfilled:
• handing in of written assignments or the like
• completion of certain – or all – study activities

Note that if admittance to the exam or parts of the assessment is to be based on written work or ex-ercises, a deadline is stipulated for when the work must be handed in.

Individual oral or written examination with internal censor. The assessment is performed
in accordance with the 7-point scale.
ECTS5
Permitted aids
With certain aids:
See semester description
Assessment7-point grading scale
Type of gradingInternal examination
Criteria of assessmentThe criteria of assessment are stated in the Examination Policies and Procedures

Facts about the module

Danish titlePerception
Module codeMSNMEDB3173
Module typeCourse
Duration1 semester
SemesterAutumn
ECTS5
Language of instructionEnglish
Location of the lectureCampus Aalborg, Campus Copenhagen
Responsible for the module

Organisation

Study BoardStudy Board of Media Technology
DepartmentDepartment of Architecture, Design and Media Technology
FacultyThe Technical Faculty of IT and Design