Hakan Gurocak

(Ha-kahn Gur-o-jock)

Director, School of Engineering and Computer Science

hgurocak@vancouver.wsu.edu
Ph: (360) 546-9637
Fx: (360) 546-9438        

Welcome to my Web site where you will find brief information about my research and teaching activities. My background is in robotics. My research interests are: (1) Haptic interfaces for virtual reality, (2) Fuzzy logic controllers, and (3) Technology-assisted delivery of laboratory courses in distance education.

Haptic interfaces are devices that provide force and tactile feedback to the user as they interact with objects in a computer-generated virtual world. Our research effort is focused on development of portable haptic devices. With the help of such devices and by wearing a head-mounted display and position sensors, we can step inside a computer-generated virtual world. For example, we can "hold" two CAD models in our hands. We can try to assemble these parts and feel the interaction forces through the haptic interface. Such a system would allow evaluation of designs thoroughly before a physical prototype is manufactured leading to reduced time to market and cost. For further information, please click the research button on the left.

Fuzzy logic controllers model the human decision making process with a collection of rules. Although the theory has been rapidly developing we don't have a formal procedure that can be followed in designing a fuzzy controller yet. Our research involved developing a method that treats the design of the rule base as a multivariate optimization problem. For further information, please click the research button on the left.

Technology-assisted delivery of laboratory courses at a distance over the Internet is a challenge many universities are facing as they develop their distance education programs. A recent survey reported that for 50% of internet users in the US and Europe, the primary use of the World Wide Web (WWW) is for education. Today the WWW is widely used in courses with no laboratory component for distributing course syllabi, notes, assignments and solutions. Our research effort is in development of technologies and curriculum for remote laboratories over the Internet. For further information, please click the research button on the left.

My past robotics research activities involved robotic precision assembly and walking robots.

Administrative Manager
Vicki Darnell
Ph: (360) 546-9092
darnell@vancouver.wsu.edu