Metu Sense

METU Sense was established in 2020 by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dicle N. Dövencioğlu.

At the Sensory Processes Lab, we investigate how sensory input transforms into perceptual experience, with a focus on multisensory signals and language.

We’re particularly interested in how we use our senses to understand the 3D world—its shapes, textures, and materials. How do we perceive the three-dimensional shape of an object from a two-dimensional image? How does language influence our perception of material properties? When we touch an object, what allows us to feel that it’s soft like velvet or creamy like lotion? And do we explore differently depending on what we expect to feel?

To answer these questions, we combine behavioral experiments, psychophysics, and neuroimaging methods with advanced computer graphics and 3D rendering. Our research centers on how active exploration—both visual and tactile—shapes the way we perceive and interact with the world around us.