What is Info Theory?

Last classed, you learned a little about Claude Shannon. We'll look more at him again here and there throughout the semester. Pretty much all of information theory rests on his work. What is information theory though? It is essentially the study of how we communicate information, how we store information, and how we process information.

Prehistoric Communication

Over centuries, and even millennia, we have continued to develop the capabilities of our species through technology and the collected knowledge of generation after generation, passed down through language. We are not the only species able to communicate, the ability to communicate is seen in basically all life forms. However, the way in which we can process information, store that information, and pass it on drastically separates us from the rest of nature.

TASK

Think about: 

If we didn't have spoken language or a written alphabet, if we suddenly lost the use of language, how would you communicate?

If you wanted to leave a message, how would you create it? 

Do:

Design your own geometric symbols for communication.

You're not replacing letters, instead maybe think of how symbols might represent full ideas or concepts; similar to hieroglyphics in Ancient Egypt, or Kanji in modern Japanese. Decide what symbols you want to use, how they are used, and then compose a message.

You can do this digitally or physically, but physically is probably easier.
If you do it physically, you can take a photo with PhotoBooth to upload the image to Canvas.