ITPG-GT 2040 – 001 (23548)
Overview
Time is at once fundamental and mysterious. From the 2000-year-old Antikythera Mechanism to modern cesium-fountain clocks, humans have long sought to understand temporal patterns in nature, and build mechanisms to measure, reflect and predict those patterns. We’re at a unique moment, one in which we’ve developed the ability to perceive relativistic effects on time at the smallest scales, while struggling to think and plan across generations. In this course we’ll reflect on the deep mysteries of time while also gaining hands-on skills applicable to temporal media and technologies. Topics will range from historical clock and orrery design through modern computer architecture (“A computer is a clock with benefits” writes Paul Ford in Bloomberg’s issue dedicated to code). Practically, we’ll build mechanical and software clocks; experiment with time-series data and time protocols; and survey techniques for digital signal processing and software state transitions. Students will execute several production assignments throughout the semester.
Learning Objectives
- Contemplate the deep origins of human timekeeping
- Examine the connection between computers and clocks
- See examples of timekeeping technology and design through history and across cultures
- Increase proficiency with microcontrollers by studying low-level timing functions
- Learn coding techniques for managing system state over time
- Examine time-related sensors, peripherals, and software libraries
Weekly Syllabus
The 2026 Syllabus.
Ideas
The Ideas section contains essays, content modules, lists, etc. (in various states of polish), intended to collect a few of the many fascinating concepts attached to Time.
Resources
Resources contains an annotated bibliography and relevant media such as videos and podcasts. Look here for notes on software and hardware for the class.
Gallery
The Gallery archives some of the work of previous classes as well as inspiring work from other artists.
Past Sessions
02025 ITP, LowRes | 02024 ITP 02024 LowRes | 02023 ITP 02023 Low Res | 02022 ITP 02022 Low Res | 02021 02020 02019
A sample from the “Ideas” section:
An Ancient Calculator
In 1901 an unremarkable hunk of corroded metal and rotted wood was recovered from a sunken shipwreck off the island of Antikythera, Greece. It had been on the ocean floor for nearly two thousand years, and it would remain largely unexamined until 70 years later, when advances in X-ray and gamma imaging would expose previously unimagined internal detail to the device now known as the Antikythera Mechanism. The images revealed complex clockwork, eventually understood, after much deduction, to be a kind of mechanical analog computer for tracking the passage of time. Hands indicated the position of the sun, moon and planets, as well as the moon’s phase, and a special section was dedicated to the schedule of the Olympic Games. Whatever fabrication techniques and mathematics the device embodied were lost to the ages – no known object approaching its intricacy would appear in the world for another 1000 years.
Read more in the Ideas section…
My AI Use
I respect that there are many feelings on the value of AI, and I admire the way these are processed at ITP. Some see a juggernaut devouring water, energy, and human creativity to spit out banal slop for mass amusement and the benefit of a handful of tech titans. Some see a transformative tool that exhibits real-world skill (especially in testable fields like mathematics and code) that could yield a new age of discovery.
I’m at times thrilled, amazed, terrified, disgusted, or disappointed with AI – sometimes all at once. But always curious. I’ve seen real capabilities grow in coding and hardware design over the past 2 years. Like many of you, I have notebooks full of half-explored ideas, and the thought that these ideas, which I’d resigned never to see, are actually closer to reality with the kinds of AI coding and project management that now exists is exciting to me. I can’t help but want to explore the possibilities, even while appreciating the mixed record the systems have in so many areas.
All that said, I think the best policy as we explore (or avoid) AI is transparency. I expect to clearly understand where and how you’ve used AI in your work, and you should expect the same for me.
- No text on my syllabus, nor any of the assets in my 500+ slide presentation I use for class discussions, was generated by AI. These largely predated LLMs.
- The exception is the long list of links at the end of each “Ideas” and “Resources” section – these are noted as such in the syllabus. Claude organized the lists and formatted them with a brief description of the content.
- I do not use AI to generate lesson plans or assignments.
- For 2026, I have found it very valuable to use Claude (especially Cowork) to help map and clean up my class materials. This includes processing over a thousand unorganized bookmarks, and cross-checking my local Time folder with my website to create a map of where content lives.
- I use AI as a first pass of research on topics of interest, for example, the exact mechanism in Su Song’s water clock. As with Wikipedia, I seek primary sources, but I am finding the summaries and synthesis from the AI “researchers” to have improved markedly. Not too long ago, where the AI overlapped with areas of my expertise, I noticed frequent mistakes and hallucinations. I now longer notice that with the best reasoning models.
- The data for “Procession of the Autumn Noshes” was gathered and graphed by Gemini. But the pun name is mine for better or worse.
- Currently no code examples on the syllabus were generated with AI. However, in my own experiments, I find that AI is quite capable of taking ideas and creating working code as well or better, and infinitely faster, than I can. For example, for years I’ve mused about creating a world map showing temporal displacement – the degree a region’s civil time is out of synch with solar time (this part’s been done), weighted by population (this part is new afaik). Claude worked in phases to gather and correlate the necessary datasets, then created a reasonable visualization in one shot. I expect I will use AI coding tools extensively from here on out.
NYU Policy Statements
The following statements are required by NYU.
PARTICIPATION
ITP/IMA is committed to facilitating the fullest possible participation of all students. There are many forms of participation. Please communicate what kinds of engagement are best for you so it can be taken into account.
Examples of modes of participation can look like: asking questions, going to office hours, sending and reading emails, class group discussion, arriving on time, going to class, taking notes, listening to peers, submitting responses to a form (anonymous or not), following instructions, active listening, etc.
AI STATEMENT
You should treat AI tools just as you would any other source: cite the source and note how it was used (Harvard has a useful guide to citation of AIs). You should be prepared to explain how your use of it is the appropriate tool to fit your goal or concept and does not detract from your experience meeting the learning objectives of the assignment or course. There are some cases where the use of AI may fall under a form of plagiarism. Differentiate your work from your source’s work in a way that’s clear to the reader or viewer. Additionally, you should be prepared to discuss the ethical concerns around the widespread use of emerging AI tools.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
After the first two weeks of the add/drop period, effective in week three onward, students are permitted 2 absences.
There are no excused absences and unexcused absences. There are only absences. Any more than 2 of absences will affect your grade. Two late arrivals (more than 10 minutes after start time) will count as 1 absence.
STATEMENT OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work as though it were your own. More specifically, plagiarism is to present as your own: A sequence of words quoted without quotation marks from another writer or a paraphrased passage from another writer’s work or facts, ideas or images composed by someone else.
Collaboration is highly valued and often necessary to produce great work. Students build their own work on that of other people and giving credit to the creator of the work you are incorporating into your own work is an act of integrity. Plagiarism, on the other hand, is a form of fraud. Proper acknowledgment and correct citation constitute the difference.
Link to the Tisch Student Handbook
Link to Suggested Practices for Syllabus Accessibility Statements
STATEMENT ON ACCESSIBILITY
It’s crucial for our community to create and uphold learning environments that empower students of all abilities. We are committed to create an environment that enables open dialogue about the various temporary and long term needs of students and participants for their academic success. We encourage all students and participants to discuss with faculty and staff possible accommodations that would best support their learning. Students may also contact the Moses Center for Student Accessibility (212-998-4980) for resources and support. Link to the Moses Center for Student Accessibility
STATEMENT ON COUNSELING AND WELLNESS
Your health and safety are a priority at NYU. Emphasizing the importance of the wellness of each individual within our community, students are encouraged to utilize the resources and support services available to them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via the NYU Wellness Exchange Hotline at 212-443-9999. Additional support is available over email at wellness.exchange@nyu.edu and within the NYU Wellness Exchange app. Link to the NYU Counseling and Wellness Center
STATEMENT ON USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Laptops and other electronic devices are essential tools for learning and interaction in classrooms. However, they can create distractions that hinder students’ ability to actively participate and engage. Please be mindful of the ways in which these devices can affect the learning environment, please refrain from doing non-class oriented activities during class.
STATEMENT ON TITLE IX
Tisch School of the Arts is dedicated to providing its students with a learning environment that is rigorous, respectful, supportive and nurturing so that they can engage in the free exchange of ideas and commit themselves fully to the study of their discipline. To that end, Tisch is committed to enforcing University policies prohibiting all forms of sexual misconduct as well as discrimination on the basis of sex and gender. Detailed information regarding these policies and the resources that are available to students through the Title IX office can be found by using the following link: Link to the NYU Title IX Office
STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLE
Teachers and students work together to create a supportive learning environment. The educational experience in the classroom is one that is enhanced by integrating varying perspectives and learning modes brought by students.