Luis Mesias defends Ph.D. dissertation

Luis Mesias defends Ph.D. dissertation

Luis Mesias recently defended his Ph.D. dissertation, “From Psychophysics Evaluation to Application: Developing Haptic and Visual Interfaces.”

Interested in haptics, electrical stimulation, and virtual reality, Mesias’s research brings together all three areas. Throughout his Ph.D. studies, he has conducted human-subject research across different subjects, evaluated multiple electrical stimulation paradigms, and developed virtual reality platforms to test and demonstrate his ideas. Looking back on his time at Case Western Reserve University, he is particularly proud of creating a software ecosystem that enables multiple software packages and operating systems to interface with a custom-built wearable surface stimulator that is now moving toward open-source release.

Originally from Guatemala City, Guatemala, Mesias decided to come to CWRU for its “strong emphasis on stimulation science within the biomedical space, while still giving me the freedom to explore how those ideas could be applied to virtual reality. That combination allowed me to work at the intersection of engineering, human perception, and emerging extended reality technologies.” He thanked his advisor, Associate Professor Michael Fu, for supporting him both as an undergraduate and during his Ph.D. years. “His mentorship helped me build a research niche at the intersection of VR and haptic interfaces, which has shaped both my interests and career goals. Beyond technical guidance, he consistently offered thoughtful advice on personal and professional growth.”

Now that he has finished his studies, Mesias hopes to pursue a career in industry, preferably with a company involved with haptics or virtual reality. While he enjoys conducting research, he said that his greatest motivation is “turning ideas into practical, usable technology.”