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
Wildlab
The Wildlab explores how technology can be biased against people who are unlike those who created it — and to build systems that help designers, developers, and researchers better support the needs and perspectives of different people.
UW Reality Lab
The UW Reality Lab advances the state of the art in virtual and augmented reality by developing new technologies and applications, educating the next generation of researchers and technologists, and supporting robust collaborations with industry.
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.
DFab is a network of researchers, educators, industry partners, and community members advancing the field of digital fabrication at UW and in the greater Seattle region.
Highlights
Computing Research Association
The Computing Research Association recognized Schulz for her research and leadership in computer graphics, including her work to advance new computational tools for manufacturing-oriented design.
Allen School News
Dell (Ph.D., ’15) combines the fields of human-computer interaction and computer security and privacy to improve the lives of overlooked communities. The Allen School recognized her with the 2025 Alumni Impact Award, honoring former students with exceptional records of achievement.
Allen School News
Sharma (Ph.D., ‘24) won the 2024 award from the Association for Computing Machinery for leveraging AI to make high-quality mental health support more accessible, and Min (Ph.D., ‘24) received an honorable mention for developing a new class of efficient and flexible language models.