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October 16, 2025 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations The Computer Vision Laboratory (CV-Lab) of the Department of Computer Engineering at Gebze Technical University (GTU) receives two awards in separate categories at BİLTEVT 2025: International Accessible Informatics Congress 2025.
In the ceremony hosted by Manisa Celal Bayar University on October 15, 2025, at the Anemon Manisa Hotel Convention Center, the awards on behalf of GTU were received by Lecturer Doğa Nalcı from Prof. Rana Kibar, Rector of Manisa Celal Bayar University. The ceremony, attended by members of the Manisa authorities, academics, public administrators, and private sector representatives, featured the presentation of successful projects in the field of accessible informatics and facilitated discussions on future academic–industrial collaborations.
The GTU CV-Lab team has achieved success in two categories: the Accessible Public Service Award and the Accessible Informatics Student Project Award.
The project PREVLA (Personalized Rehabilitation Based on Voice and Lifelog Analysis) has received the Accessible Public Service Award for its innovative approach that facilitates access for individuals with disabilities to remote physiotherapy services through advanced radar-based technology.
Supported by EUROSTARS-EUREKA and TÜBİTAK, the project uses artificial intelligence algorithms to analyze patients’ joint movements and create personalized therapy protocols. It connects physiotherapists and patients within a home environment that closely replicates clinical standards. The academic design of the project was carried out by GTU CV-Lab, while İnoSens, the industrial partner, provided technical support in radar and gamified therapy systems, making the project a strong example of effective academia–industry collaboration.
The other award, the Accessible Informatics Student Project Award, was presented to the WELLDONE: Wheelchair Skills Empowerment Through Learning and Lifelong Mobility Inclusivity for All project, conducted under the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union.
This project aims to raise awareness by simulating the daily challenges faced by wheelchair users through virtual and augmented reality technologies. The project, led under the academic guidance of Assoc. Prof. Asuman Saltan from the Department of Physiotherapy at Yalova University, was developed by the GTU CV-Lab team using multi-sensor hardware and software components.
The success of both projects was made possible through the guidance and institutional support of the GTU Accessibility Division. Prof. Mahmut Durmuş, Vice-Rector and Director of the Accessibility Division, GTU, along with Prof. Meral Elçi, the Division Coordinator, played significant roles in facilitating the projects' participation in the award process and maintaining institutional motivation.
Under the scientific leadership of Prof. Yusuf Sinan Akgül, and with the coordination of Assoc. Prof. Yakup Genç, Assoc. Prof. Mehmet Göktürk, and Lecturer Doğa Nalcı, the GTU CV-Lab team conducts multidisciplinary research leading to such achievements. Comprising of researchers on bachelor's, master's, and doctoral level, the laboratory continues to produce innovative solutions in accessible informatics within an academic ecosystem based on knowledge sharing.
The projects, developed with contributions from Res. Asst. Zehra Bilici, Res. Asst. İlhan Aytutuldu (PhD), Res. Asst. Saliha Yeşilyurt, M. Melikşah Çalışkan, Hakan Keser, Mert Ergörün, Zeynep Gürbüz, Talha Kaymak, H. İbrahim Turan, Melih Sapmaz, Derya Uysal, and Cemal Bolat, stand out as important examples of transforming technology into social benefit.
Acting on the principle “focusing on solutions, not barriers,” the GTU CV-Lab keeps on enhancing the quality of life for individuals with disabilities while contributing to Türkiye’s accessible informatics ecosystem through its outstanding achievements. |
