Skip to main content
About course

DT2350 Human Perception for Information Technology 6.0 credits

Administer Aboute course

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.

Course offering missing for current semester as well as for previous and coming semesters
Headings with content from the Course syllabus DT2350 (Autumn 2015–) are denoted with an asterisk ( )

Content and learning outcomes

Course contents

  • Introduction to the physiology of perception
  • Ecological approach to perception
  • Introduction to the main methods for perception measurement
  • Introduction to vision, including perception of objects and scenes
  • Motion perception
  • Color perception
  • Sound, the Auditory System, and Pitch Perception
  • Speech Perception
  • Introduction to the fields of multisensory processing, and sensory substitution

Intended learning outcomes

The course gives the students fundamental theoretical and practical knowledge of human perception with particular focus on information technology.

The main focus is on human perception and its functioning, and how it should be taken into account in information technology applications.

After completing the course, you should be able to:

  • identify and describe the major principles of human perception, including vision, motion, color, sound, and speech
  • conduct and document fundamental experiments for the measurement of perception in different modalities
  • identify, describe and analyze the possible perceptual strengths and pitfalls in the design of interfaces for human-machine interaction
  • propose and motivate efficient designs for new applications/devices in which human perception plays a fundamental role.

Course disposition

No information inserted

Literature and preparations

Specific prerequisites

Single course students: At least two years of studies in media technology, computer science, information technology or comparable and the courses DD1337 Programming and DH1620 Human-Computer Interaction, Introductory Course or equivalent.

Recommended prerequisites

No information inserted

Equipment

No information inserted

Literature

Selected chapters from:

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

Suggested reading:

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


Off-prints completing the material presented in the course book, as well as off-prints describing research on multisensory processing and sensory substitution will be made available through the course page.

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, 2.5 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
  • LAB1 - Laboratory Work, 1.5 credits, grading scale: P, F
  • PRO1 - Project, 2.0 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.

In this course all the regulations of the code of honour at the School of Computer science and Communication apply, see: http://www.kth.se/csc/student/hederskodex/1.17237?l=en_UK

Opportunity to complete the requirements via supplementary examination

No information inserted

Opportunity to raise an approved grade via renewed examination

No information inserted

Examiner

Profile picture Roberto Bresin

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 DT2350

Offered by

CSC/Media Technology and Interaction Design

Main field of study

Computer Science and Engineering, Information Technology, Information and Communication Technology

Education cycle

Second cycle

Add-on studies

No information inserted

Contact

Roberto Bresin, e-post: roberto@kth.se

Supplementary information

Can notread bystudents in theMaster's program inInteractiveMediaas the courseoverlaps with DM2700Introduction toInteractiveMedia Technology.