Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS

05/06/2026

These are exactly the kind of updates we love sharing!

𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 are heading to FhP-AICOS, recognising two solutions that showcase the power of Human-Centred Design.

𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼 – 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 received a 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘇𝗲 𝗔' 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 in the 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘳𝘺 and a IIIDaward 2026 in the Science and Research category.

𝗔𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗮 – 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 was also recognised with a 𝗜𝗜𝗜𝗗𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 in the 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘳𝘺.

Three awards, two solutions, and one common thread: putting people at the heart of innovation.

At FhP-AICOS, we believe that the most meaningful technologies are built with people, not just for them. Whether we're exploring values in healthcare innovation, addressing sensitive and often overlooked health topics, or co-creating solutions with diverse stakeholders, Human-Centred Design continues to be one of our strongest drivers of impact.

And while we're always happy to see our work recognised, what makes these distinctions especially rewarding is what they represent: research, collaboration, empathy, curiosity, and countless conversations that help transform complex challenges into solutions that truly matter.

A huge congratulations to everyone involved in 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼 and 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗮, and to the multidisciplinary teams who continue to show that great design isn't just about how things look - it's about how they work, who they serve, and the impact they create!

03/06/2026

𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲?

Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS is 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗦𝗖𝗔 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 applying in September 2026, and we’re on the lookout for brilliant minds ready to turn research into real-world impact.

If you’re working in areas like 𝗔𝗜, 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻-𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀, this might be your chance to take your research further in a Research Transfer Organisation.

You apply individually to the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships and can choose us as your host institution.

If you’re interested in joining AICOS, reach out to us with:

Your 𝗖𝗩

A 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 with an outline of your research idea + 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝗜𝗖𝗢𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝘁 for you

Deadline: June 30

Email: [email protected].

Can´t wait to hear from you!

02/06/2026

Your idea. Your chance!

The 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗵𝗼𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 is back for its 17th edition, 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀.

If you're a Master's student with a technology-based idea, don't keep it on paper!
Submit your application 𝗯𝘆 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟯 and take your project to the next level.

More info & applications - www.challenge.fraunhofer.pt.

28/04/2026

23/04/2026

We were pleased to welcome a delegation from the Architectures for Reliable Image Analysis (ARIA) group at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) to FhP-AICOS.

The visit provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen connections between our institutions and explore future collaborations in , with a particular focus on medical imaging. During the session, our Senior Researcher, Luís Rosado, introduced AICOS and showcased some of our ongoing work.

We look forward to building on this exchange and advancing impactful research together.

DataScience HealthTech ComputerVision Partnerships Science

16/04/2026

Researchers from FhP-AICOS were in attendance, contributing to discussions on ethics, design, and human-centered computing at the 𝗖𝗛𝗜 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, the leading international conference on Human-Computer Interaction!

As part of the ACHILLES Project, Inês Silva presented the paper “Navigating Ethical Dilemmas: The Value Landscape behind Fieldwork Decisions”, co-authored with Joana Couto, Francisco Nunes, and Ricardo Melo.
The work explores how researchers navigate complex ethical dilemmas in fieldwork, highlighting the crucial role of personal and shared values in shaping decisions beyond formal ethical guidelines. By identifying key values and recurring tensions, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of ethical reflection and decision-making in practice.

Alongside this, Matilde Silva and Duarte Folgado presented a poster, and Francisco Nunes also contributed as a chair for the session
𝘈𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴.

A great representation of collaborative work across teams, and an important step forward in advancing ethical awareness in research and design.

08/04/2026

As populations age and caregiver-to-patient ratios shrink, AI systems are increasingly taking on not just tasks, but decision-making and emotional labor.

On the 23rd of April, Pin Sym Foong will lead a Thursdays With Science - Open Session on “Digital Systems of Authority and Care: From Task-shifting to Self-shifting”. This talk explores the rise of digital proxies — agents that act on our behalf, mediate care, and hold authority — and the design challenges they bring. Pin Sym will discuss topics from decision support to surrogate decision-making, personalization to autonomy, and what “self-shifting” means in an era of automated care.

The session is being held both online and onsite. To join the session, please register here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/2PnttHvPMS

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the future of AI, care, and human-centered design!

31/03/2026

We have renewed our ISO 13485 certification, reinforcing our commitment to quality, excellence, and impact in the medical device and digital health sectors.

This internationally recognised certification highlights our expertise in quality management, regulatory requirements, and risk management, strengthening our role as a trusted partner for organisations developing innovative healthcare solutions. By combining research excellence with regulatory know-how, we help accelerate innovation and support the development of safe, market-ready health technologies.

Discover how this milestone strengthens our commitment to supporting partners and advancing healthcare innovation:
https://www.aicos.fraunhofer.pt/en/news/archive/2026/ISO13485.html.

27/03/2026

We had the pleasure of hosting the 11th Meeting of the Network of Innovation and Experimentation Labs - coordinated by LabX - Centro para a Inovação no Setor Público (ARTE - Agência para a Reforma Tecnológica do Estado, IP.) - at our Porto facilities.

Over two days, we welcomed representatives from public sector innovation labs from across Portugal for a dynamic programme focused on collaboration, knowledge sharing, and hands-on experimentation related to digital technology. The agenda included contributions from Digital, a presentation of DigiHealthPT showing how to support an economic sector with digital innovation, and a talk by UPTEC to understand the startup ecosystem. Special highlight for FhP-AICOS' interactive and hands-on workshops. We also had the opportunity to talk about the digital solutions we are working on, including technologies developed with Public Administration.

All scientific areas of FhP-AICOS took part in the event. Our Head of Human-Centred Design, Ana Correia de Barros, co-hosted the event with LabX, underlining our commitment to human-centred innovation and applied research with societal impact.

The Network plays an important role in fostering a culture of experimentation and innovation in the public sector, creating opportunities for collaboration that ultimately benefit citizens and society.

We thank all participants for the inspiring discussions and shared commitment to shaping the future of public sector innovation.

23/03/2026

Together with partners from the University of Coimbra and CISUC, FhP-AICOS will be hosting the workshop “𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲: 𝗔 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲-𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻” as part of the ACHILLES project at the ACM Interactive Health Conference.

This workshop will bring together researchers, healthcare professionals, designers, developers, patients, and ethics experts to reflect on the 𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 and 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝗜-𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀. Through speculative design activities and interdisciplinary discussion, participants will collaboratively explore responsible and human-centred futures for AI in healthcare.

The Call for Participation is now open for those interested in contributing to this important conversation.

The workshop will take place in Porto, Portugal, on 5 July 2026, with the 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.

Apply here: https://lnkd.in/eE9bP2rK
Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eNXxXmNa

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