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.
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.
The Tech Policy Lab is a unique, interdisciplinary collaboration at the University of Washington that aims to enhance technology policy through research, education, and thought leadership. Founded in 2013 by faculty from the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, Information School, and School of Law, the Lab aims to bridge the gap between technologists and policymakers and to help generate wiser, more inclusive tech policy.
Highlights
UW News
In her new book “Digital Culture Shock: Who Creates Technology and Why This Matters,” Reinecke examines how culture shapes the design and use of technology — and why we should resist a one-size-fits-all approach.
Allen School News
To help Reddit moderators make data-driven decisions on what rules are best for their community, a team of researchers in the Allen School’s Behavioral Data Science Group and Social Futures Lab conducted the largest-to-date analysis of over 67,000 Reddit rules and their evolution.
IEEE Spectrum
Companies are pouring billions into developing humanoid robots. In an op-ed, Allen School professor Maya Cakmak considers the results of a survey exploring whether people would welcome such robots — and looks forward to taking one for a spin (for science).