Our work in human-centered computing explores and enhances the ways in which people and communities engage with and experience technology.
Our research considers the personal, educational, cultural, and ethical implications of innovation. Drawing upon techniques from human-computer interaction, learning sciences, sensing and more, we aim to maximize the potential benefits of technology while minimizing potential harms to individuals, groups and society.
Groups & Labs
Human-Centered Robotics Lab
In the Human-Centered Robotics lab we aim to develop robotics that are useful and usable for future users of task-oriented robots.
Make4all Group
Make4all Group creates solutions that empower people with disabilities to accomplish their goals, applying technologies such as 3D printing, knitting and other fabrication technologies to improve inclusion in and accessibility of our digital future.
Faculty Members
Centers & Initiatives
TCAT harnesses the power of open-source technology to develop, translate, and deploy accessible technologies, and then sustain them in the hands of communities. Housed by the Paul G. Allen School for Computer Science & Engineering, TCAT centers the experience of people with disabilities as a lens for improving design & engineering, through participatory design practices, tooling and capacity building.
Globe.AI is a multidisciplinary community of researchers at the University of Washington who aim to create equitable, responsive AI technologies that can adapt to individuals from diverse cultures and communities, including to different norms, languages, behaviors, and communication styles.
Highlights
Allen School News
The fellowship will support Zhang’s work in sustainable ubiquitous computing, including the development of recyclable electronics and leveraging artificial intelligence to estimate carbon footprints and provide personalized health insights.
UW News
New research from UW researchers and the Toyota Research Institute, or TRI, explores how drivers balance driving and using touch screens while distracted. The results could help auto manufacturers design safer, more responsive touch screens and in-car interfaces.
UW News
AI trained on data from the entire internet won’t work equally well for people in different cultures. But when UW researchers fed AI agents data from a kitchen simulation game, they found that the AI absorbed cultural values from observing human behavior — similar to what children do.