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
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.
Sensor Systems Laboratory
The Sensor Systems Laboratory invents new sensor systems, devises new ways to power and communicate with them, and develops algorithms for using them, with applications in the domains of bioelectronics, robotics, and ubiquitous computing.
Faculty Members
Centers & Initiatives
Computing for the Environment (CS4Env) at the University of Washington supports novel collaborations across the broad fields of environmental sciences and computer science & engineering. The initiative engages environmental scientists and engineers, computer scientists and engineers, and data scientists in using advanced technologies, methodologies and computing resources to accelerate research that addresses pressing societal challenges related to climate change, pollution, biodiversity and more.
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
Allen School News
The team co-led by professor emeritus Richard Ladner examined how people with visual and motor disabilities select, adapt and use mobile devices in their everyday lives. Since its publication in 2009, the findings have helped guide new innovations in mobile device accessibility.
WIRED
Professor Shyam Gollakota spoke to WIRED about his work with UW spinout Hearvana leveraging AI to enable people to go beyond noise canceling to customize their soundscape — including selectively amplifying sounds or voices they want to hear while minimizing ones they don’t.
UW News
New research from UW researchers and the Toyota Research Institute, or TRI, explores how drivers balance driving and using touch screens while distracted. The results could help auto manufacturers design safer, more responsive touch screens and in-car interfaces.