Wendy Mackay

Senior researcher - Ex-Situ project team – ACM Fellow 2019
Wendy Mackay
© Inria / Photo G. Maisonneuve

The contributions she has made to the field of human-computer interaction (HCI), mixed reality and participatory design have earned Wendy Mackay the recognition of both her peers and the ACM. A pioneer in these fields, her research into human-computer partnerships has revolutionised how the role of AI is viewed in interactive systems. While conventional “human in the loop” models use humans in order to improve algorithms, Mackay employs the power of computers to improve human capacities. She enables users to determine their own movements and their own interactions with machines, making interaction more powerful and more expressive. Wendy Mackay’s research draws upon methods from a range of different disciplines, which she then adapts and expands in order to drive forward research and improve design.