COCOA Research Lab

The COCOA (CO-designing COllaborations with AI) Lab explores how humans and AI can collaborate effectively, designing intelligent interactive systems that enhance human productivity and empower diverse users. We combine Human-Computer Interaction, AI, and accessibility research to create collaborative tools and adaptive interfaces that support real-world tasks and emerging virtual experiences.

We are part of the Graphics and Media at York (GaMaY) Hub.

Meet the team →

Latest News

Sep 28, 2026 2 min read

A busy and exciting summer for the COCOA Lab

This summer brought new faces, fresh ideas, and plenty of collaboration. We welcomed several undergraduate research assistants, shared our work, and celebrated two new publications:

Together, these papers reflect our work in human-AI collaboration, AI-supported creative work, and thoughtful, human-centered design.

We also got out into the community and hosted activities that made room for learning and connection:

CG Connect

The lab headed to CG Connect, hosted by Autodesk Research in Toronto, to meet the wider graphics and interactive systems community. Read more here

GI Conference

Pengqi Wang presented a demo and position paper on AI proactivity at the GI conference in Waterloo. Read more here

Lunch & Learn

The lab hosted a Lunch & Learn to share ideas and connect with Dr. Sharan from the University of Hamburg. Read more here

CAIS Conference

Many of our undergraduate research assistants attended their first conference and presented posters at CAIS, learning from others in AI and HCI and connecting with the research community. Read more here

Bringing STEM to Life Symposium

Dr. Kuang joined the Bringing STEM to Life Symposium to see high school students’ projects addressing her research challenge: using AI to make education more accessible. Read more here