2/8 WEEK 1 – INTRODUCTION
Introduction to the class and expectations. What is cognitive augmentation and why should you care?
Intro to Cognitive Augmentation: Prof. Pattie Maes
2/15 WEEK 2 – AUGMENTING MEMORY
We will discuss the various systems that have been built in the research community to enhance a person’s memory. Some of these help a person improve their innate ability to remember things, while others act as an external memory that a person can rely on when their own memory is declining.
Intro to Memory: Nathan Whitmore
Memory Augmentation Systems: Samantha Chan (ft. Wazeer Zulfikar, Natasha Maniar)
2/22 WEEK 3 – ENGINEERING SLEEP
Can we design systems that harness the power to sleep to boost learning, memory, creativity, and processing of emotions?
Guest invite: Prof. Ken Paller
2/29 WEEK 4 – ENHANCING REASONING & DECISION MAKING
The field of AI aims to reproduce human-level intelligence in machines. But a more exciting and important goal may be that of IA or intelligence augmentation. How can people augmented with technology make smarter and better-informed decisions? We will survey related topics such as Extended Intelligence and more.
Thinking about Thinking with a Thinking Machine: Pat Pataranutaporn
3/7 WEEK 5 – SOMATIC INTERFACES
We will review theories of embodied cognition, and discuss how wearable and immersive devices can alter our bodily self-perception and how such means to “write to the body” can be used to change our beliefs and behavior.
The Body, The Mind and The Awareness: Abhi Jain
3/14 WEEK 6 – INTERFACING WITH THE BRAIN
We will discuss systems which directly monitor and stimulate the brain to improve cognition and discuss the current state of brain-computer interfaces. What are these systems capable of?
BCIs for Cognitive Augmentation: Nathan Whitmore
3/21 WEEK 7 – PROJECT PROPOSAL #1
Student groups present designs for some sort of novel Cognitive Enhancement system. What is the motivation? What is the core idea? How could it be realized? Why should we care (usage scenarios)? What is some related work and relevant background research?
Please add in any comments and feedback for the projects here.
Upload your group’s slides here by the end of class.
3/28 NO CLASS
4/4 WEEK 8 – AUGMENTING LEARNING
We will discuss systems that help speed up and improve the quality of learning by using new strategies to present information and help people retain it.
AI Generated Personalized Content for Learning: Joanne Leong
4/11 WEEK 9 – CANCELLED (Member’s Week)
Class cancelled due to Media Lab Spring Member’s Week.
4/18 WEEK 10 – AUGMENTING THE SENSES & PERCEPTION
How can we build devices that improve our sensory abilities and even give us the ability to perceive things beyond our normal senses?
Augmenting the senses and perception – a brief intro: Prof. Pattie Maes
Guest Invite: Sam Chin, Responsive Environments Group, MIT Media Lab
Guest Invite: Jas Brooks, University of Chicago
[Student groups will be asked to privately present their intermediate designs and implementations for some sort of novel Cognitive Augmentation system.]
4/25 WEEK 11 – DRUGS AND GENE EDITING
Chemical and genetic technologies that can be used to improve cognitive abilities.
Nootropics: Nathan Whitmore
5/2 WEEK 12 – PHILOSOPHY & ETHICS OF AUGMENTATION
What are the ethical considerations for Cognitive Enhancement systems?
5/9 WEEK 13 – FINAL PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
Students present their final projects. An implementation and some evaluation is required, as well as a short paper (CHI late breaking work format) describing: What is the motivation for this work? What is the related work and relevant background literature? What is the core idea and how was it realized? What did you learn?