On January 12th, the Interactive Technologies Institute hosted its monthly ITI Talks event, featuring Marta Candeias, the Head of Research and Innovation Funding support at IST-ID. The event took place in a hybrid format, with physical locations in Lisbon at Hub Criativo do Beato and in Funchal, as well as a virtual Zoom session connecting attendees from both physical locations and remote participants.
The agenda kicked off with the opening of doors and the Zoom session, followed by a warm welcome and introductions. Marta Candeias took the stage to share her expertise on “Funding opportunities for researchers” and later continued with a stimulating Q&A session, allowing attendees to engage with Marta and delve deeper into the subject matter.
Marta Candeias, with over 13 years of experience, provided valuable insights into national and European policies supporting research and innovation. Her expertise in European research and innovation funding programs, including Horizon Europe, H2020, and FP7, added significant value to the ITI Talks session. Holding a PhD in Technology Assessment, Marta’s extensive involvement in various research and innovation initiatives showcased her commitment to advancing the field.
The ITI Talks events, organised by a dedicated team including Ana Pires, Cíntia França, Filipa Correia, and Lucas Pereira, have become a staple in the ITI community. These monthly gatherings serve as a platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and showcasing the institute’s diverse research and development activities.
The call for papers is open until January 14, 2024.
Professor Valentina Nisi, a member of the Interactive Technologies Institute, is part of the organising committee behind the Inaugural Workshop of the ACM-SIGCHI Mediterranean Committee (MedCHI).
We are excited to announce the first public gathering of the newly established ACM-SIGCHI Mediterranean Committee (MedCHI) coinciding with the SIGCHI Futures Summit. This workshop marks the beginning of MedCHI’s journey, an initiative promoted by ACM SIGCHI aiming to unite and inspire HCI professionals and enthusiasts across the Mediterranean.
Drawing by Valentina Nisi
Researchers and practitioners from the Mediterranean regions are warmly invited to contribute to this seminal event. We seek submissions that showcase your unique research, projects, and initiatives in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).
We encourage contributions that reflect the rich values of the Mediterranean region, including but not limited to Cultural Heritage, Culture, Food, Tourism, Engagements with local user communities. We also welcome submissions that align with the broader theme of fostering collaboration across diverse communities to strengthen HCI research and practice in the Mediterranean. Your contributions can range from academic research to industry initiatives, including:
Innovative best practices
Highlights of successful events
Impactful academic or industry collaborations
Educational activities, like summer schools and courses
Demonstrations of innovative technologies
This event is not just a meeting point but a starting point for meaningful connections and collaborative endeavors in the Mediterranean HCI community. We look forward to discovering your contributions and collectively shaping the future of HCI in the Mediterranean. We encourage contributions from all, young researchers and senior experts alike, as long as they represent the vibrancy and diversity of HCI work in the Mediterranean region.
Submission Guidelines and Process
Submissions should be a reflection or manifesto AND a poster.
Upon selection, participants are required to deliver a concise 5-minute presentation summarising their work and engage in a traditional poster session, with interactive discussions with the “SIGCHI Futures Summit” participants.
Remote participation will be allowed, but we solicit authors to plan to attend the workshop physically.
Utilize the ACM Master Article Submission Template or opt for a free format for the reflection or manifesto. Maximum length: 2000 words.
The poster should be in A1 format.
Your submission should:
Describe your HCI-related contribution (purpose, inspirations, successes/failures, strengths/limitations).
Explain your interest in the workshop.
Detail how your unique positionality, experience, or background can enrich the MedCHI community.
Supplementary Material (Optional)
Create a promotional video (max 5 minutes) to showcase your work and contribution to MedCHI. These videos will be featured on the workshop website for pre- and during-event engagement.
Important Dates
January 14, 2024, AOE: Deadline for Submissions
January 21, 2024: Notification of Acceptance
February 12, 2024: Deadline for Submission of Presentation Slides
February 14, 2024: Workshop held at Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
Selection Criteria
We aim to represent a broad spectrum of practices, materials, backgrounds, and concerns. Therefore, submissions will be selected based on quality, relevance, and diversity.
Participation Requirements
Upon acceptance, at least one author of each paper must attend the workshop (either in person or virtually).
Publication
Workshop outcomes will be shared via our website
Selected and revised contributions will be considered for a special issue to be published in the IxD&A journal in Winter 2024.
Organizers
George Caridakis (gcari@aegean.gr)
Joel Lanir (ylanir@is.haifa.ac.il)
Laura Makary (laurasmakary@gmail.com)
Maristella Matera (maristella.matera@polimi.it)
Houda El Mimouni (helmimo@iu.edu)
Valentina Nisi (valentina.nisi@tecnico.ulisboa.pt)
The ambitious SHIFTS2DC (SHIFT to Direct Current) research project, led by INESC-ID and featuring the Interactive Technologies Institute as one of the partners from Portugal, kicked off its journey towards transforming the future of electricity at the Instituto Técnico de Lisboa on December 12 and 13, 2023.
The event, attended by every partner in the project and esteemed guest Antonis Marinopoulos, Project Adviser at CINEA – European Climate, Infrastructure, and Environment Executive Agency, marked the beginning of a 42-month exploration into the potential of direct current (DC) solutions in power systems.
Revolutionising the Power Landscape with SHIFT2DC
Funded with close to €9 million by the Horizon Europe Innovation Action Programme, SHIFT2DC brings together 28 partners to explore and promote DC solutions at both medium and low voltage levels. This collaboration seeks to unlock the full potential of DC power, offering advantages such as greater energy efficiency, reduced transmission losses, and better integration with renewable energy sources.
SHIFT2DC goes beyond developing new technologies by conducting in-depth analyses and real-world tests to ensure that proposed DC solutions are feasible, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable. The project aims to create smart and scalable DC solutions that meet diverse energy needs by examining factors like life cycle impact and energy efficiency. This project will develop four pilots for the key application areas – two in Germany, one in Portugal, and one in France.
The consortium includes partners from various sectors, such as Électricité de France, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, and Schneider Electric. Associated partners, including a certification laboratory and a system operator, further enrich the project’s scope.
Interactive Technologies Institute’s Role in SHIFT2DC
The Interactive Technologies Institute, represented by researcher Lucas Pereira, is a key partner in SHIFT2DC. The institute will coordinate the Portuguese demonstrator, focused on studying DC’s role in the electrification of Ports around the world. To this end, the Portuguese demonstrator aims to create a Digital Twin of the port of Funchal and its daily operations. This Digital Twin will serve as the base for demonstrating four use cases: 1) DC Port Energy Storage Systems, 2) DC Port – Grid Coordination, 3) DC Port as a Microgrid, and 4) Ports as DC Energy Hubs.
The Interactive Technologies Institute is also responsible for Task 1.6 (users’ adoption and perception of the technology), in which the main objective is to understand the perspective of end-users both in B2C and B2B applications. Based on demonstration results and engagement activities, the preliminary models built on user research will be adjusted during the project.
The Interactive Technologies Institute is proud to announce that Beatriz Severes, a current PhD student at ITI, has been awarded the prestigious “+Valor Madeira” for her groundbreaking work in the field of mental health during her master’s studies. The award, presented by the Madeira Legislative Assembly, was handed over by its president, José Manuel Rodrigues, in a ceremony held on December 4, 2023.
Under Mary Barreto’s supervision, her research focused on developing a mobile application named “Toolbox”. The study explored the collaborative process of creating a digital intervention in conjunction with psychology counselling services at the University of Madeira.
In light of the global increase in mental health challenges, especially among young adults, Beatriz’s research addressed the specific context of university life and the heightened psychological distress experienced by students. The study emphasized the need for digital mental health tools to expand the reach of therapy services, overcoming barriers related to geography, socioeconomics, and education.
The mobile application developed by Beatriz as part of her master’s thesis offers a pioneering solution to the challenges faced by university students. By integrating digital mental health tools with in-person therapy, the application facilitates self-management of mental well-being and provides a closer connection between users and psychologists.
The research also highlighted the importance of an adaptable and cross-disciplinary approach in developing mental health apps, accommodating the expertise and inputs of stakeholders. According to the study, this methodology ensures that the digital platform effectively addresses the mental health needs of students.
The +Valor Madeira Award, established by the Madeira Legislative Assembly in February 2021, aims to recognize outstanding academic work in the form of doctoral theses, master’s dissertations, and scientific articles. With her work titled ‘Design of Collaborative Technological Interventions for Mental Health Management’, Beatriz Severes was awarded a prize of 5,000 euros.
The jury commended the relevance of Beatriz’s work to the goals of the +Valor Madeira award, its high degree of innovation, and the significant development of processes and methodologies with potential impact in regional areas, particularly in mental health—a crucial area in the current social context. The winning project was also acknowledged for its potential to facilitate regional development strategies.
Beatriz Severes is now a PhD student under the supervision of Mary Barreto and Augusto Esteves, both researchers at the Interactive Technologies Institute. She is still dedicated to developing digital mental health solutions for university environments to improve student well-being and academic success. Her work seeks to create adaptable mental health interventions in educational settings, contributing to academic research and student life improvement.
The Interactive Technologies Institute congratulates Beatriz Severes on this well-deserved recognition and applauds her valuable contributions to improving mental health solutions in the university environment and beyond.
The Interactive Technologies Institute proudly participated in the 16th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling (ICIDS) held in Kobe, Japan, from November 11-15, 2023. As the premier gathering for researchers and practitioners exploring digital interactive narratives, ICIDS provided a platform for ITI to showcase groundbreaking research and innovative projects.
Best Short Paper Winner
The Best Short Paper award and a prize of 300 euros were bestowed upon Claudia Silva for her work on combating hate speech through Interactive Digital Counter-Narratives (IDCN). Cláudia Silva’s paper “Fighting Against Hate Speech: A Case for Harnessing Interactive Digital Counter-Narratives” delves into the potential of IDCNs to address hate speech effectively, emphasising the limited existing research in this critical area. Drawing inspiration from two case studies and incorporating principles of decolonial thinking and Critical Race Theory, the paper highlights the unique ways digital media, including video games and VR/AR/XR, can counteract hate speech. The research argues that interactive counter-narratives offer a powerful means to challenge this societal phenomenon, preserving freedom of speech, debunking stereotypes, encouraging mutual understanding, and facilitating dialogue.
Two Best Full Paper Nominees and One Winner
Cláudia Silva has also joined María Cecilia Reyes and Hartmut Koenitz to receive the Best Full Paper award and a prize of 400 euros for their work on decolonising Interactive Digital Narrative (IDN) pedagogy. The paper “Decolonizing IDN Pedagogy From and with Global South: A Cross-Cultural Case Study “presents a cross-cultural case study involving 120 students from higher education institutions in the Global South and Global North. Through collaboration and cross-cultural dialogue, students could incorporate decolonial thinking into the analysis of IDN artefacts, challenging colonial norms of universalism and Eurocentrism. The study demonstrated that global collaboration and interaction across time zones fostered a critical understanding of IDNs.
Valentina Nisi, Stuart James, Paulo Bala, Alessio Del Bue, and Nuno Jardim Nunes presented their work on inclusive digital storytelling, which was shortlisted as a Best Full Paper. Even though it did not win, the paper “Inclusive Digital Storytelling: Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality to Re-centre Stories from the Margins” featured groundbreaking work on the MEMEX project, an interactive digital storytelling tool developed over three years in the context of an EU-funded project. The tool integrates Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality to support the cultural integration of marginalised communities, addressing concerns about the widening digital divide. The paper describes the final working prototype of MEMEX and its pilot study, showcasing the potential for technology to amplify voices from the margins.
The Interactive Technologies Institute’s presence at ICIDS 2023 underscored its commitment to advancing research and innovation at the intersection of technology, narrative, and societal impact. ITI continues to be at the forefront of shaping the future of interactive digital storytelling.
Celebrating Innovation and Impact in Augmented Reality for Oncoplastic Breast Surgery
In a remarkable achievement, Rafaela Timóteo, a former Master’s student from Instituto Superior Técnico, secured second place at the prestigious Fraunhofer Portugal Challenge 2023 Master Student Award. The recognition comes in honour of her outstanding work in interactive technologies, particularly her groundbreaking augmented reality (AR) application for oncoplastic breast surgery.
Rafaela Timóteo’s winning “Augmented reality environment for oncoplastic breast surgery” project revolves around developing a revolutionary AR application named BREAST Plus. This application, designed to enhance pre-operative planning for breast reconstruction surgery, was showcased on the Microsoft HoloLens 2 headset. The studies were supervised by the Interactive Technologies Institute researcher Daniel Simões Lopes and Champalimaud Foundation breast surgeon David Pinto.
The critical innovation of BREAST Plus lies in its ability to provide detailed and accurate information about the vascular network of the inferior abdominal wall. The application assists surgeons in marking the location of perforator vessels on the patient’s abdominal skin by displaying a high-fidelity 3D digital anatomical model. This model, equipped with clear visibility of perforator vessels, can be aligned with the patient in the operating room.
During the development phase, Rafaela Timóteo collaborated closely with two breast reconstruction surgeons to incorporate their insights and requirements into the user interface. The final interface features a report-like menu, utilising computed tomography angiography (CTA) imaging information. It allows surgeons to manipulate the digital model easily, aiding in manual alignment with the patient’s body.
Rafaela also published a paper regarding the patient’s skin deformation from the CTA scanning position to the operating room position, which revealed “a relevant deformation that can lead to an inaccurate display of the digital models. These results show a need to consider and correct these errors in future digital models”, said the researcher.
The Fraunhofer Portugal Challenge, organised by Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS, aims to recognise research that aligns with the philosophy of ‘Proposing Futures. Impacting lives.’ The Master Student Award expressly acknowledges outstanding ideas presented by MSc students and researchers, emphasising practical utility and based on graduation theses.
Rafaela Timóteo’s accomplishment highlights her work’s significant impact on the augmented reality field in surgical procedures. Currently pursuing a PhD at the Lisbon School of Medicine, Rafela Timóteo continues her research collaboration with the Champalimaud Foundation and the Interactive Technologies Institute, showcasing a commitment to advancing cutting-edge technologies in the medical field.
Timóteo, R., Pinto, D., Martinho, M., Gouveia, P., Lopes, D. S., Mavioso, C., & Cardoso, M. J. (2023). Skin deformation analysis for pre-operative planning of DIEAP flap reconstruction surgery. Medical engineering & physics, 119, 104025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medengphy.2023.104025
The Interactive Technologies Institute (ITI) is proud to announce the outstanding performance of our PhD students, Filipa Rocha, Isabel Neto, and Francisco Calisto, in the recent BfK Ideas competition. Their innovative projects, BATS and BreastScreening-AI, secured top positions in their respective categories, demonstrating the institute’s commitment to fostering groundbreaking research and development. Filipa Rocha also got an honourable mention for her project on the Os Melhores & As Maiores do Portugal Tecnológico 2023 awards.
BATS Project: Championing Digital Transition
The BATS project, submitted by Filipa Rocha and Isabel Neto, clinched first place in the Digital Transition category. Their project, known as Block-based Accessible Tangible Programming Systems (BATS), leverages block-based programming language, where developers create sequences of instructions by dragging and dropping blocks on a monitor. In this case, the blocks are adorned with 3D foam icons representing directional movement or speaking functions used to command a robot’s behaviour. Visually impaired children can control the robot through these blocks, like playing a drag-and-drop computer game.
The BATS learning tool prototype was tested remotely with five families of visually impaired children aged 6 to 12. Filipa Rocha established relationships with schools, associations, and families to bring her concept to life. The participating families even provided valuable feedback, suggesting additional blocks for training other concepts such as geography or mathematics. This collaborative approach demonstrates her commitment to making computational thinking accessible to all, particularly visually impaired and blind children. Filipa Rocha is currently pursuing her PhD at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, and Isabel Neto is pursuing her PhD at Instituto Superior Técnico and GAIPs Lab (INESC-ID).
BreastScreening-AI: Advancing Health, Biotechnology, and Food
Francisco Calisto (ITI/ISR) submitted BreastScreening-AI, a startup project that secured second place in the “Health, Biotechnology, and Food” category. The project is at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and AI in medical imaging. It aims to reduce the user burden of interactive technologies for healthcare professionals, patients, and people with disabilities across the design of future applications.
BreastScreening-AI has the potential to revolutionize the healthcare sector. The use of artificial intelligence in breast cancer screening is safe and can almost halve the workload of radiologists. This technology can improve prognosis and reduce mortality by spotting breast cancer at an earlier, more treatable stage. The recognition of BreastScreening-AI in the competition highlights the importance of AI in advancing healthcare and biotechnology. Francisco Calisto is a PhD student at Instituto Superior Técnico (ITI and ISR).
About BfK Ideas
BfK Ideas is an initiative of the Born from Knowledge (BfK) program, promoted by ANI – the National Innovation Agency. The program aims to valorize projects and companies based on the scientific and/or technological knowledge of their promoters. The BfK Ideas competition is designed to showcase, empower, and reward the best business ideas based on scientific and/or technological knowledge from each partner Higher Education Institution.
The ITI congratulates Filipa Rocha, Isabel Neto, and Francisco Calisto on their remarkable achievements in the BfK Ideas competition. Their success underscores the institute’s commitment to promoting innovative research and development that can make a significant impact on society and the economy.
About Os Melhores & As Maiores do Portugal Tecnológico 2023
The seventeenth edition of these awards distinguished researchers entrepreneurs, companies and institutions in different categories of Science and Technlogy. Among those categories was the Social Responsibility Award won by the initiative Seixal Criativo. However, Filipa Rocha’s project also got the jury’s attention, which led them to reward the project with an honourable mention in this category. Filipa Rocha has already won second place in the European Inventors Prize this year.
Instituto Superior Técnico’s Department of Computer Science recently hosted the annual PhD DEI event, bringing together a diverse group of doctoral students from various stages in the Doctoral Program in Computer Science and Engineering and the Doctoral Program in Digital Media. Among the standout participants from the Interactive Technologies Institute (ITI), Noha Mokhtar emerged as a shining star, securing the Best Poster Award for her groundbreaking research.
The event provided a platform for students to exhibit their research through poster presentations, fostering a relaxed yet intense atmosphere conducive to the exchange of experiences and knowledge sharing. ITI’s robust representation, including professors Augusto Esteves, Valentina Nisi, Hugo Nicolau, Daniel Lopes, and several fellow PhD presenters, underscored the institute’s commitment to active engagement within the academic and professional community.
One of the event’s highlights was Noha’s recognition with the Best Poster Award. Her research, supervised by Prof. Augusto Esteves, addresses a crucial issue in Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR).
Identifying a Challenge in AR/VR Accessibility
Noha’s research pinpointed a pervasive problem in the current design of AR/VR interfaces – the inadvertent exclusion of individuals with limited mobility due to the reliance on controllers or manual hand interactions.
In response to this challenge, Noha developed a groundbreaking eye-gaze interaction technique. This technique aims to revolutionize the user experience within VR by facilitating interaction exclusively through eye gaze, eliminating the need for controllers and manual hand interactions. The goal is to enhance the sense of embodiment and presence within the virtual environment.
If successful, Noha’s research could have profound societal implications. The eye-gaze selection method has the potential to democratize VR interaction, making it universally accessible and inclusive. “By enabling these individuals to interact with virtual environments through a straightforward eye-gaze selection method, my research seeks to elevate their experience within Virtual Reality (VR),” Noha highlighted.
As the research progresses, Noha is gearing up for testing and welcoming participants interested in contributing to the study in Beato Creative Hub. Looking ahead, she envisions expanding the scope of her work by incorporating machine learning to develop various interactions specifically tailored for individuals with limited mobility. “The journey is ongoing, and I’m excited about the potential positive implications this research may have on inclusivity within immersive technologies,” concluded Noha.
Student community favourites
The PhD DEI also hosted a community poll that allowed the student community to vote for the best poster. The poll results have also brought recognition for the Interactive Technologies Institute. The student community has elected Adrian Leon’s poster as their favourite. His research poster is titled User-centered Training Pipeline for Brain-computer Interfaces: Towards Holistic Tools for Device Control and is supervised by Augusto Esteves. Marta Ferreira, another PhD student supervised by Nuno Nunes and Valentina Nisi, got second place in the poll with her work “Leveraging Data Humanism and Human-computer Interaction for Climate Change Engagement”.
Inês Lúcio, a master’s student at the Interactive Technologies Institute (ITI), has secured the “Breakthrough Lens of the Year” award at Snapchat’s Lens Fest Awards with her innovative Head Anatomy Lens. The accolade recognises outstanding contributions to the Augmented Reality (AR) industry and celebrates developers who joined the Snap AR community in 2023.
Inês Lúcio’s Head Anatomy Lens stands out for its unique blend of traditional anatomy flashcards and AR technology. Snapchat users can engage with their own facial anatomy through embodied experiences, with knowledge maps providing visual representations of anatomical connections. The lens is accessible to everyone with a Snapchat account, offering an interactive and personalised learning environment.
The lens’s development combines artistic skills in illustration tools with technical proficiency in Lens Studio. Inês Lúcio strategically applied augmented reality technology and design principles, with a solid understanding of anatomy forming the foundation for incorporating knowledge maps effectively.
Since its launch, the Head Anatomy Lens has garnered significant user engagement with over 140,000 views. Snapchat’s vast potential audience of around 650 million users underscores the lens’s accessibility, aligning with Snap Inc.’s statement that over 250 million people engage with AR on Snapchat daily.
Having previously worked on Virtual Reality (VR) for oral surgery anatomy teaching, Inês Lúcio expanded her focus to Augmented Reality during a summer internship at the Interactive Technologies Institute. During this time, she started developing Snapchat Lenses using Lens Studio, leading to the creation of the award-winning Head Anatomy Lens.
While the project originated as a summer internship endeavour, Inês integrated it into her master’s thesis in Biomedical Engineering titled “Anatomy Maps: Graph-Inspired Educational Tools to Teach and Learn Anatomy.” Supervised by Prof. Daniel Simões Lopes from ITI and Prof. Renata Raidou from TU Wien, the thesis explores innovative solutions for immersive anatomy learning.
For Inês Lúcio, winning the “Breakthrough Lens of the Year” award is not just an acknowledgement but also a source of motivation. She sees it as recognition for the effort put into developing the lens and a boost to continue contributing to advancing extended reality systems in anatomy education. “I feel very honoured that such a prestigious community of AR developers chose my lens for one out of only six awards”, she says.
Looking ahead, Inês plans to refine the Head Anatomy Lens, making it more educational and less overwhelming. She also envisions expanding the project to cover additional aspects of head anatomy, such as nerves and vessels, and exploring various media, including virtual reality and physical visualisations. Inês Lúcio’s success underscores the transformative potential of AR in education and highlights the impactful contributions emerging from the Interactive Technologies Institute.
Francisco Maria Calisto has been shortlisted for the Academy Track
The Interactive Technologies Institute proudly announces that Francisco Maria Calisto, a PhD student at Instituto Superior Técnico under the supervision of Nuno Jardim Nunes (ITI) and Jacinto Nascimento (ISR), has been nominated for the Academy track of the prestigious Altice Innovation Award (AIIA) 2023. Francisco’s groundbreaking project, “Human-Centered Design of Personalized Intelligent Agents in Medical Imaging Diagnosis”, is among the shortlisted projects competing for the coveted award, with a prize money of €25,000.
The Altice Innovation Award aims to recognise and support technological talent while establishing Altice as an innovative leader. The initiative focuses on projects from PhD finalist students and startups, emphasising technological areas relevant to Altice International’s core business, including AI/ML, Extended Reality, 5G, IoT, Smart Cities, Smart Living, Big Data, eHealth, Digital Content, Future Networks, Over the Top services, Security, Blockchain, Quantum Technologies, and more.
Francisco’s PhD project is at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence into healthcare, specifically in radiology. His innovative framework proposes AI agents that assist clinicians in providing second-reader diagnostic support tailored to each clinician’s workflow and expertise level. “The societal impact of this research is profound. Improving diagnostic accuracy, particularly in critical areas like breast cancer detection, can lead to earlier disease detection and better patient outcomes”, says the researcher. Additionally, Francisco’s work focuses on user-friendly AI integration that can democratize access to advanced diagnostic tools, making high-quality healthcare more accessible across different regions.
Francisco Maria Calisto expressed his gratitude for being shortlisted: “Being shortlisted for the Altice Innovation Award 2023 in the ‘Academy’ track is a significant milestone. It validates the importance and potential of my research in medical technology. This recognition not only honours the hard work and dedication that went into the thesis but also highlights the relevance of AI in enhancing healthcare services.”
The Award Ceremony is scheduled for November 21, 2023, at Convento do Beato in Lisbon, where finalists will pitch to the Grand Jury, who will later announce the winners.
Looking ahead, Francisco envisions translating his research into a practical, scalable solution through the startup “BreastScreening-AI“. The goal is to develop and commercialise AI-powered diagnostic tools that can be integrated into clinical settings, ensuring accessibility and benefits for a broader range of healthcare providers and patients. The startup aims to continue innovating and adapting to the evolving needs of the medical community to enhance the quality and efficiency of patient care.
