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About course

DM2350 Human Perception for Information Technology 7.5 credits

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Current technology relies on a variety of media to display, transmit and exchange information. Knowledge about the function, processes and limitations of the human perceptual system is crucial to enable us to make the best design choices and to optimize the relationship between information content and application. This course provides a general overview of human perception with an emphasis on vision, hearing and touch. Relevant areas of anatomy and physiology are covered as are fundamental psychophysical concepts and measures of perception such as detection, discrimination, identification and scaling. Areas of human perception to be studied in relation to information technology applications include the perception of brightness and color, sound, music, speech, haptics and the perception of space, time and motion. The fields of multisensory processing and sensory substitution are also introduced. The course also touches upon learning and perceptual change particularly related to information technology. The course has special relevance for such applications of information technology as human-machine interfaces, sound and music computing, speech-based systems, haptic interfaces, motion capture, and computer vision.

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Headings with content from the Course syllabus DM2350 (Spring 2019–) are denoted with an asterisk ( )

Content and learning outcomes

Course contents

  • Introduction to the physiology of the perception.
  • Ecological perspectives on perception.
  • Introduction to the most important methods for perceptual measurements.
  • Introduction to the visual system including the experience of objects and scenes.
  • Motion perception.
  • Colour perception.
  • Sound, the hearing system and pitch perception.
  • Speech perception.
  • Introduction to the fields multisensory processing, and sensory substitution

Intended learning outcomes

The course provides the students basic theoretical and practical knowledge of the human conception with particular focus on IT. The emphasis lies on the human perception and its function and how it should take consideration to the technical applications.

On completion of the course, you should be able to:

  • identify and describe the most important principles of human perception including view, movement, colour, sound, music and number
  • carry out and document fundamental experiments for measurement of perception in different modalities
  • identify, describe and analyse the possible perceptual strengths and the pitfalls in the design of interface for man-machine interaction
  • suggest and motivate efficient models for new applications/units where human perception plays a fundamental role.

Course disposition

No information inserted

Literature and preparations

Specific prerequisites

For single course students, at least two years of studies in media and communication technology are required, computer science, informatics or the equivalent as well as the courses DD1337 Programming technique, DH1620 Human-Computer Interaction or the equivalent.

Recommended prerequisites

No information inserted

Equipment

No information inserted

Literature

Chosen chapters from:

Goldstein, E. (2009). Sensation and Perception. Belmont, about: Wadsworth Publishing. ISBN 0495601500

Suggested reading

Weinschenk, S. M. (2011). 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People. Berkeley, about: The Publishing of New Riders. ISBN 0321767535

Off-prints of articles that supplement the material in the course book as well as off-print that treat multisensory processing and sensory substitution.

Examination and completion

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

Grading scale

A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Examination

  • INL1 - Assignments, 3.0 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
  • LAB1 - Laboratory work, 1.5 credits, grading scale: P, F
  • PRO1 - Project, 3.0 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

Opportunity to complete the requirements via supplementary examination

No information inserted

Opportunity to raise an approved grade via renewed examination

No information inserted

Examiner

Ethical approach

  • All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
  • In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
  • In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.

Further information

Course web

Further information about the course can be found on the Course web at the link below. Information on the Course web will later be moved to this site.

Course web DM2350

Offered by

Main field of study

Computer Science and Engineering

Education cycle

Second cycle

Add-on studies

No information inserted

Contact

Andre Holzapfel (holzap@kth.se), Roderick Selfridge (rod2@kth.se)

Supplementary information

In this course, the EECS code of honor applies, see:
http://www.kth.se/en/eecs/utbildning/hederskodex