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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.

Robot Learning lab cover photo of robotic warthog/all terrain vehicle driving in the snow

Robot Learning Lab

The Robot Learning Lab works on foundational research in machine learning, AI and robotics to develop intelligent robotic systems that can perceive, plan and act in complex environments and improve performance with experience.


Faculty Members

Faculty


Centers & Initiatives

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.

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 undergraduates Joshua Tran and Claire Li were part of a team in the UW’s Autonomous Insect Robotics (AIR) Lab that earned the ICRA Best Student Paper Award for TinySense, the current lightest avionics system with the potential for flying insect robot sensor autonomy.

Allen School News

The IEEE Robotics & Automation Society (RAS) recognized Gupta, who leads the Allen School’s WEIRD Lab, for his “pioneering contributions to real world robotic reinforcement learning” that enable robots to acquire new skills with minimal human help or engineering.

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.