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Embodied Computing Lab

Professor Karen Cochrane is an academic researcher specializing in Human-Computer Interaction, with a focus on developing strategies and technologies to assist and support individuals with disabilities. In the Embodied Computing Lab, we create wearable and tangible computing prototypes in mental health and accessibility. This includes conceptualizing and constructing wearable and tangible assistive technologies and establishing frameworks for healthcare practitioners, families, and individuals with disabilities to design and fabricate personalized devices collaboratively. Dr. Cochrane’s interests delve into the nuanced realms of soma design, autoethnography, and design fiction, all geared toward understanding both the needs of academics and underrepresented communities. This understanding of lived experiences enhances the development of robust prototypes and design methods within the HCI field, empowering these communities.

Research Areas

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Tangible Computing, Embodied Computing, Soma Design, Wearable Technologies, Mental Health and Emotional Regulation, Mindfulness and Stress Reduction Technologies, Assistive Technology 

Contact

Dr. Karen Cochrane

Assistant Professor

Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business, University of Waterloo

E: karen.cochrane@uwaterloo.ca

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Monday, April 27, 2026

Patchwork Knowledge

Workshop at ACM DIS, National University of Singapore

In this workshop, we explore how material knowledge is taught, learned, and disseminated within HCI research. Through the activity of creating a quilt, the workshop compares how different forms of knowledge circulation, such as tutorials, oral instruction, mentorship, workshops, and community-based collaboration, relate to one another.

Researchers, educators, designers, and practitioners are invited to engage with themes including pedagogical forms of material knowledge; learning trajectories; tacit, sensory, and biological knowledge in making, care, and maintenance; access and participation in fabrication; and the design of pedagogical artifacts.