Participation is free of charge, but registration is compulsory. Due to the fact that that the number of participants is limited, we will schedule according on a first come first serve basis.
The links for the remote sessions will be shared via e-mail. The in-person sessions will take place at AICOS' offices:
Rua Alfredo Allen 455/461 - 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Registrations are now closed.
15:30 — 17:00 GMT
14:30 — 15:00 GMT
Carla Gomes
Vision impairments vary in causes and severity, affecting people of all ages. Virtual Reality (VR) is a versatile technology with applications in entertainment, education, healthcare, and accessibility. However, as vision is the primary sense engaged in VR, it isn’t typically associated with blind and low-vision users. This presentation explores how VR, can be adapted to serve blind and low-vision users. Based on my Master's research, which focused on a human-centered approach, I’ll share the gathered insights on how we can make VR accessible and enjoyable for people with visual impairments, addressing key challenges and design considerations.
About Carla Gomes
Carla is a designer with a Master’s degree in Industrial and Product Design from the University of Porto, where she conducted research on accessible Virtual Reality (VR) for users with low vision and blindness at Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS. Building on her background in Design and Multimedia from the University of Coimbra, she focused on creating immersive, inclusive experiences through human-centered design. Her research involved developing guidelines for accessible VR, exploring how to better incorporate haptics, audio, and alternative interaction methods to engage visually impaired users. Besides her academic research, Carla has contributed to projects in visual identity, web development, communication strategy, and team management for events like Queima das Fitas Coimbra and Shift APPens.
14:30 — 15:00 GMT
Ana Vasconcelos
This talk explores the development and implementation of a digital solution designed to support People with Dementia (PwD) in performing meaningful Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) autonomously and safely. AUTONOMOUS leverages Human Activity Recognition (HAR) Artificial Intelligence to monitor activities through a system of smartwatches, smartphones, and ambient sensors, providing real-time guidance that adapts to the evolving needs of PwD. As dementia progresses, AUTONOMOUS evolves from a silent, supportive companion to a proactive guide, helping users maintain autonomy and quality of life while easing caregivers' burdens. The presentation will address the project’s methodological aspects while opening a dialogue on the complex ethical implications of passive monitoring in dementia care. Although continuous monitoring holds potential for enhancing safety and independence, it raises profound ethical questions—especially around privacy, consent, and autonomy—that lack clear answers. We aim to explore how these challenges are being addressed within the project, inviting participants to reflect on strategies to balance dignity and agency while fostering a supportive, non-stigmatizing environment for PwD.
About Ana Vasconcelos
Ana Vasconcelos is a scientist at Associação Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS, where she has contributed to the Human-Centred Design team since 2012. With a Master’s degree in Informatics and Computer Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Porto, Ana’s early research focused on designing and evaluating tablet-based cognitive games tailored for senior audiences. Her current work centers on developing inclusive, technology-driven solutions for diverse users and contexts, where she leads user research, prototyping, and user experience evaluation. Ana has extensive experience across both industry and research projects, spanning domains such as healthcare, aging populations, and assistive technologies. She is particularly interested in the long-term evaluation of technology (through longitudinal studies) and assessing its impact on users’ lives, aiming to create solutions that are both effective and empowering.
14:30 — 15:00 GMT
Elsa Oliveira & Cristiana Braga
In this talk, we'll be sharing the work of a multidisciplinary team on the inclusion of explainability in medical decision support systems relying on imagiological data. It will cover the collaborative design workshops and content analysis methods used to elicit and systematise explanations in the context of cervical cancer screening and glaucoma detection.
About Elsa Oliveira
Elsa is a Design Researcher working in the Human-Centred Design group at Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS. She has been involved in the design of technological systems for industry and healthcare, with a focus on user research, user interface and user experience design. Elsa’s background is in communication design.
About Cristiana Braga
Cristiana Braga has been a Scientist at Fraunhofer AICOS for over 5 years, driven by a human-centred design approach to developing innovative solutions. With a Master’s in Service Engineering from the University of Porto, she has worked on research projects to understand user needs and co-design practical solutions in clinical and public settings. For the past 3 years, Cristiana has focused on validating the product-market fit of a medical AI system for efficient ophthalmology screening. Her passion for pitching Peeking Window has helped her team secure two Innovation Prizes in 2023.
14:30 — 17:30 GMT
Internal Event (not open to the general public).
With funding by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, within the CMU Portugal Exploratory Research Projects Program, grant agreement no. 2022.15724.CMU.
Fraunhofer Center for Assistive Information and Communication Solutions – AICOS