Making Things Talk

XIV MAKING THINGS TALK

The Interactive Telecommunications Program in the Tisch

School of the Arts at New York University has been my

home for the past decade or more. It is a lively and warm

place to work, crowded with many talented people. This

book grew out of a class called Networked Objects that I

have taught there for several years. I hope that the ideas

herein represent the spirit of the place, and give you a

sense of my own enjoyment working there.

Red Burns, the department’s chair and founder, has

supported me since I first entered this field. She’s indulged

my many flights of fancy, and brought me firmly down

to earth when needed. She has challenged me on every

project to make sure that I use technology not for its own

sake, but always in the service of empowering people.

Dan O’Sullivan introduced me to physical computing and

then generously allowed me to share in teaching it and

shaping its role at ITP. He’s been a great advisor and col-

laborator, and offered constant feedback as I worked.

Most of the chapters started with a rambling conversation

with Dan. His fingerprints are all over this book, and it’s a

better book for it.

Clay Shirky, Daniel Rozin, and Dan Shiffman have also

been close advisors on this project. Clay’s watched

indulgently as the pile of parts mounted in our office and

interrupted his own writing to offer opinions on my ideas

as they came up. Daniel ...