The Lab brings together interdisciplinary teams to produce cutting-edge research on emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, augmented reality, robotics, and the Internet of Things.

Subcategories of Emerging Technology

  • Artificial Intelligence and Robots

    The Tech Policy Lab is committed to advancing artificial intelligence and robotics in the public interest through research, analysis, and education and outreach.

  • Internet of Things

    The Internet of Things (IoT) has brought a wave of new devices into our homes that are always connected. Our work focuses on technical, societal, and policy questions for these devices.

Materiality

Digital technologies require material resources — such as metals and plastics — to realize form and function, yet, the materiality of digital technologies is all too often invisible. This UW Tech Policy Lab project takes up this issue by investigating the materiality of near and longer-term technology visions and exploring tech policy directions responsive to considerations of materiality.

 

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AI and Cybersecurity

Our work in artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity includes examinations of adversarial manipulation and the legal, policy, and other hurdles of cybersecurity research in AI.

 

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AI and Robotics

Robots are on the rise, from Pepper to the new family robot JIBO, intelligent machines and systems are gaining attention in the public, academic, and regulatory sectors.

 

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AI and Social Impacts

The Tech Policy Lab is committed to advancing artificial intelligence in the public interest through research, analysis, and education and outreach.

 

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Computers are now integrating into everyday objects, from medical devices to children’s toys. Most consumers are unaware that these devices are constantly collecting, storing, or disclosing their personal information. Bringing these connected devices into the home particularly raises important issues of privacy and security.

 

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Modern DNA sequencing techniques can sequence hundreds of millions of DNA strands simultaneously. Computers are needed to process, analyze, and store the billions of DNA bases that can be sequenced from a single DNA sample. New and unexpected interactions may be possible at this boundary between electronic and biological systems.

 

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The Lab is interested in the social impacts of the Internet of Things (IoT) and has begun a series of projects focusing on how the introduction of IoT devices impacts individual’s mental models and the psychological environment. Different than the smartphone, these devices are always on, blending into the background until needed by the adult or child user. We are working to develop best practices for toys and devices in the home that are connected to the internet.

 

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Augmented Reality (AR) presents novel or acute challenges for technologists and policymakers. Our work in AR is aimed at identifying some of the major legal and policy issues AR may present as a novel technology and provides conditional recommendations to help address those issues.

 

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