This course will cover the history of computing in the arts, technologies and trends in new media. It will give an overview on input, output devices and human visual perception. The course will cover principles of virtual environments, hardware, software and design issues in presenting images and sound in immersive environments, input and control devices, quantative asessment of virtual reality systems. We will investigate conceptual strategies and creative possibilities for artists working in new media and engineers developing media technologies. The course will view abroad range of work by artists who use the computer as a medium, as a tool, as subject matter or all of the above, screening projects on CD-ROMS, the Web and videos as well as other cultural artifacts of the digital age, from games, feature animations to chat rooms. During weekly labs, art and engineering students will be working on media demonstration projects as small groups. Engineering students will develop software and arts students will create content.