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
Social Futures Lab
Researchers in the Social Futures Lab are reimagining social and collaborative systems to empower people and improve society.
Behavioral Data Science Group
The Behavioral Data Science Group leverages large-scale behavioral data to extract actionable insights about our lives, health and happiness by combining techniques from data science, social network analysis, and natural language processing.
Faculty Members
Centers & Initiatives
Global Innovation Exchange (GIX)
Global Innovation Exchange is the University of Washington’s
engineering and business institute for emerging and established
technology leaders. GIX partners with corporate, government and non-profit organizations to deliver transformational learning through graduate education, global experiences and professional development programs.
engineering and business institute for emerging and established
technology leaders. GIX partners with corporate, government and non-profit organizations to deliver transformational learning through graduate education, global experiences and professional development programs.
Change
Change is a cross-campus collaboration that explores the challenges of developing technology in the context of positive social change. It seeks to make connections between researchers, outside organizations, and the public to inspire the development of new capabilities aligned with the interests of those most in need.
Highlights
Oregon Public Broadcasting
The lived experiences of people with disabilities are often ignored in the development of new technologies, but that’s not the case with the Allen School’s ADA project. Community researcher Jonathan Ko joined recent Ph.D. alum Amal Nanavati to discuss their collaboration.
UW News
The Taskar Center for Accessible Technology created the first statewide data set enabling communities across Washington to map pedestrian infrastructure and transit access — which paves the way for exploring other questions such as access to schools, grocery stores and health care.
UW Aeronautics & Astronautics
Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics researchers teamed up with Taskar Center Director Anat Caspi and computer engineering major Marc Alwan to explore how eye-tracking can help autonomous systems adapt their interactions to individual users’ comfort and safety preferences.