The Portuguese research landscape has undergone a profound transformation in recent years. Expenditure in research and development activities has grown drastically from 0.3% of GDP in 1982 to 1.7% in 2009. The number of researchers involved in R&D activities (FTE) increased from 3 962 in 1982 to 45 909 in 2009, while the number of scientific publications rose from 307 in 1981 to 12 865 in 2010.
Significant national scientific development contributed to promoting the international awareness regarding the science being produced in Portugal, hence increasing the reputation of the Portuguese scientific community internationally.
Highlight of the Week - Portuguese researchers create wheelchair that can read minds
|
"A researcher at the University of Minho is coordinating a national robotics project where the aim is to develop a wheelchair that can be controlled by head and body movements, voice commands, facial expressions and even thoughts.
In a press release by the University of Minho, it is stated that the technology has already been tested with patients suffering from cerebral palsy and was capable of avoiding obstacles, planning tasks and communicating with other devices.
"The main idea behind it was creating an intelligent low-cost ergonomic wheelchair that could be controlled by a flexible multimodal interface”, explains Luís Paulo Reis, from the School of Engineering of the University of Minho.
The user can choose from several commands and combine them. The options available “are voice commands, head movements or the brain computer interface, which will make it possible for the chair to be moved through thoughts”, the researcher added.
Other than the universities of Minho, Porto and Aveiro, the IntellWheels is also supported by the Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science Laboratory, by the Algoritmi Centre at UMinho, by INESC TEC, by the Institute of Electronics and Telematics Engineering of Aveiro, by the School of Health Technology in Porto and by the Cerebral Palsy Association in Porto.
This project has already been awarded five times by national and international entities."
Text from INESC TEC
|
|
PEProbe suggests
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Director of INESC TEC wins IEEE Excellence Award | Environment Gulbenkian Programme | Postdocs: Best Places to work 2012 |
R&D Activity in Portugal
R&D Support in Portugal
European R&D Programmes
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| European Research Council | Supporting international mobility of researches | European Cooperation in science and technology | EU initiative dedicated to transnational mobility in R&D | Support of the mobility and career development of European researchers |
Other Useful Information
|
Association of Portuguese Higher Institutes (ADISPOR) Council of Associated Laboratories (CLA) Council of Polytechnic Institutes (CCISP) Portuguese Council of University Rectors (CRUP) International Internships at CERN, ESO and ESA
|
DeGóis National Platform of Science and Technology Online Knowledge Library (b-on) Pavilion of Knowledge – Ciência Viva |
