Dr Ismail Devecioglu

My research focuses on the sense of touch, encompassing several complementary areas:

Friction Perception (Fingertip): Understanding the slipperiness of an object is critical for skilled object manipulation, for example, when holding a glass of water. If we do not apply sufficient grip force, the object may slip; if we apply too much, the object may break or cause muscular fatigue in prolonged tasks. Therefore, grip force must be optimally regulated. We investigate how humans perceive surface slipperiness and how tactile afferents encode slip-related information to inform motor system to adjust grip. Our research methods include microneurography (recording from single tactile afferents innervating the fingertips of human participants), psychophysical testing, and tissue mechanics analysis using video-based deformation tracking and finite element modeling of skin mechanics.

Friction Perception (Feet): Surface slipperiness is also critical for stable gait and slip prevention. While slip perception has been studied extensively, the perception of slipperiness at the foot sole without an actual slip remains poorly understood. We use psychophysical and behavioral methods to investigate how people perceive surface slipperiness when barefoot or wearing shoes. Our findings have implications for gait adaptation, balance control, fall prevention, footwear design, and sensory augmentation technologies.

Vibrotactile Acuity of the Foot and Sensory Aids: Humans exhibit exceptional dexterity with their hands due to high tactile receptor density. Although similar types of afferents are present in the foot sole, their density is lower, and the biomechanics differ substantially. To inform the design of tactile augmentation systems for the feet (particularly in individuals with neurological conditions), we study humans’ detection, discrimination, and localization abilities on the foot sole using psychophysical approaches, as well as the response properties of tactile afferents recorded via microneurography.

Biomechanics of Skin: We use lumped-element models, finite element modeling and image-based analysis to investigate how skin deforms and responds to mechanical stimuli or interactions with surfaces of varying texture and frictional properties.

Sensory Substitution: I am also interested in the development and evaluation of sensory substitution systems, with a focus on their efficiency, cognitive load, and the formation of input–output associations during prolonged use. I welcome collaborations in this area, particularly in system design and psychophysical testing.