Volkan Patoğlu

Volkan Patoğlu is an Assistant Professor at the Mechatronics Program within the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences at Sabanci University, Istanbul, Turkey, where he has been employed since September 2006. He completed his PhD at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2005, following two Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the same institution.

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (2005)
• MS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan (2002)
• MS in Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan (2000)
• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara (1999)

Dr. Patoğlu's research focuses on physical human-machine interaction, rehabilitation robotics, and cognitive robotics. His work examines haptic guidance schemes for skill training and rehabilitation, the design of exoskeletons and prosthetic devices, and interaction control systems. His research bridges mechanical engineering, robotics, and human factors to develop systems that enhance human capabilities and assist in rehabilitation.

His recent publications (2020-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on series elastic actuation, haptic rendering, and human-in-the-loop optimization. Many papers explore the passivity and performance limitations of haptic systems, while others investigate cognitive robotics approaches using answer set programming. His work spans both theoretical control analysis and practical implementations in rehabilitation and educational robotics.

Dr. Patoğlu has received numerous awards for his contributions:

• Outstanding Associate Editor Award by IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (2020)
• Meritorious Service Awards from IEEE Transactions on Haptics (2018)
• Best Conference Paper Nomination at IEEE ICRA (2015)
• Young Scientist Award from Science Academy (2015)
• Best Application Paper Award at IEEE/RSJ IROS (2013)

His research has led to the development of several robotic platforms including the AssistOn series of rehabilitation robots (AssistOn-Ankle, AssistOn-Finger, AssistOn-Mobile, AssistOn-Gait) and the HandsOn-SEA educational platform with series elastic actuation. He maintains active collaborations with researchers in cognitive robotics, particularly with Esra Erdem, and continues to bridge theoretical control systems with practical implementations in assistive and educational technologies.

He is affiliated with multiple professional organizations including IEEE (since 2001), ASME (since 2005), EuroHaptics Society (since 2006), and AAAI (since 2009), and serves on technical committees for IEEE RAS related to haptics and telerobotics.