Hi,I'm a 4th yearInterdisciplinary Computing and the Arts Major (ICAM). Since no one seems to know, that means I have experience with computer programming,design (photoshop, illustrator, flash), and electronics,but have also spent more time studying dead painters than most people outside of VisArts have the patience for.

As far as this class goes, I really like some of the simple tech I've seen. Things like the pedal-powered washing machine or the rolling water drum. I especially like things that can become do-it-yourself type of projects, many of which appropriate parts from existing tech - the bike pedals on the washing machine and human-powered generator, or the gears as stove-top grill our guest speaker mentioned. A more advanced example is the use of cd-rom drives as cheap medical testing equipment (link). This type of tech often seems both practical and sustainable.

I'm also very interested in alternative energy, and sustainability in general. I feel that distributed solutionsto these problems, where the answer lies with individuals or small groups, have more potential than centralized "utility company" type of solutions in the areas we are dealing with.

Finally, I am curious about the impact of these new technologies once they "hit the ground." Their effects rarely seem to stop at that which was intended. Sometimes they are improved upon by the recipients, and sometimes they become a bigger problem, etc.

More generally, I am interested in Emergent Systems, HCI, and the idea of a "modern mythology," considering the effects of technology and media on our lives. I enjoy cooking, music (beatles, old punk, jazz, etc etc),exploring new places, building things, playing / making games, reading philosophy and mythology (the traditional kind), and generally anything that engages my hands or my mind.