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Human-Centered Computing

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

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Animation Research Labs (ARL)

The interdisciplinary ARL advances the state of the art in animation through research, teaching, and computer-animated production.

A student wearing an Oculus headset motions toward a screen displaying a virtual character

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.


Allen School Faculty

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Associate Professor


Centers & Initiatives

The Institute for Medical Data Science (IMDS) is a joint effort among the Schools of Medicine and Public Health and the College of Engineering, including the Allen School to lead the development and implementation of cutting-edge AI and data science methods in medical data science. By harnessing the power of AI across diverse health determinants, IMDS aims to improve patient health, provider satisfaction, and healthcare operations, particularly in the Pacific Northwest region.

The Transportation Data Equity Initiative (TDEI) aims to enhance the quality and accessibility of travel services by building open source data collection and vetting tools, transportation data digital infrastructure, and governance frameworks that enable public-private data sharing and interoperability. The TDEI is a project sponsored by The Complete Trip, an ITS4US Deployment Program.

Highlights


Allen School News

Allen School faculty recognized 2025 alumni Wei and Zhu for their outstanding doctoral dissertation research identifying new methods for tackling online harassment introducing more secure techniques for generating digital signatures, respectively.

Allen School News

Itani, who works with Allen School professor Shyam Gollakota in the Mobile Intelligence Lab, was recognized for exceptional early-career research advancing AI systems for “superhuman” hearing.

HearingTracker

A technology known as semantic hearing developed in Allen School professor Shyam Gollakota’s lab could let users create acoustic bubbles, isolate chosen voices, and control individual sounds in their environment.