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Interaction with the Physical World

Advances in low- and no-power sensing, communication and interaction technologies offer new possibilities for blending digital innovation with our physical environment. 

From gesture recognition that allows people to interact with objects in new ways, to low-power sensors that collect and transmit data about temperature, air quality, urban accessibility and more, our researchers are tapping into the potential of computation to transform how we experience the world around us.


Research Groups & Labs

Laptop displaying glowing purple light onscreen in darkened room

Security and Privacy Research Lab

The Security and Privacy Research Lab works on a variety of topics, ranging from studying and addressing security and privacy risks in existing technologies, to anticipating future risks in emerging technologies.

Professor Dieter Fox and a student demonstrate a remote operated robotic arm attempting to pick up a block

Robotics and State Estimation Lab

We are interested in the development of computing systems that interact with the physical world in an intelligent way. To investigate such systems, we focus on problems in robotics and activity recognition.


Allen School Faculty

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Centers & Initiatives

The Science Hub supports a broad set of programs — including fellowships for doctoral students, collaboration among researchers and support for collaborative research events — designed to accelerate artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and engineering in the Seattle area.

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.

Highlights


UW News

Allen School researchers and collaborators in the Urban Freight Lab created Pantrymap.org to map the location of micropantries and community fridges in the greater Seattle region and installed sensors to automatically track stock levels at some locations.

UW News

The web app, which was developed by researchers in the Allen School’s Makeability Lab, enables users in Seattle to map their ride based on factors such as bike lanes, speed limits, pavement quality, and more.

American Academy of Arts & Sciences

Professor Magda Balazinska was honored for her influential contributions in data management and data science, while Professor Shwetak Patel was recognized for his groundbreaking work applying computing to health and sustainability.