Martim Silva, a Master's student in Biomedical Engineering at the Faculty of Biotechnology - Universidade Católica Portuguesa, has won 1st place in the student award category at the Fraunhofer Portugal Challenge 2024 with a project proposing the development of software that enables medical teams to precisely and objectively monitor post-surgical electrocardiographic signals from patients who have undergone cardiac surgery.
Entitled ReHeAIrt (AI-Driven ECG Application for Enhanced Post-Surgery Recovery Evaluation), the project presents a solution supported by Artificial Intelligence models aimed at improving the assessment of post-operative recovery, optimizing the time and efficiency of healthcare professionals by providing critical information to support clinical decision-making. The award from the Fraunhofer Portugal Challenge 2024 will allow Martim to collaborate with experienced Fraunhofer researchers, accelerating the project’s development and opening doors for the solution's introduction to the market.
Speaking about his experience with the ReHeAIrt project, Martim Silva stated: “Every year, around 9,926,100 individuals require cardiac surgery. After surgery, patients need thorough monitoring and accurate assessments to confirm improvements in post-operative performance and identify the need for further interventions. However, traditional methods are time-consuming, subjective, and often inconsistent. Our project proposes software that, through Artificial Intelligence models, will quantify the recovery status of patients, providing crucial information to support medical decisions. This award not only recognizes our innovative idea but also brings the opportunity to collaborate with experienced researchers to accelerate the project’s development. Additionally, the partnership with a well-established company will offer valuable experience in bringing products to market. The next step is to ensure efficient development of the solution with the highest possible accuracy and move forward with its market introduction.”
Pedro Miguel Rodrigues, Assistant Professor and Associate Director of the Faculty of Biotechnology for Lifelong Learning and Partnerships, highlights the importance of these technological competitions: “It is absolutely crucial to actively encourage our students’ participation in technology-based competitions! These contests not only empower students to overcome knowledge barriers, but also provide a vibrant platform for turning innovative ideas into tangible technology. The Fraunhofer Portugal Challenge 2024 is a great example, where a company with a strong market presence, like Fraunhofer, recognizes and rewards projects while mentoring the development process. Seeing this effort acknowledged is incredibly satisfying and reinforces the importance of continuing to encourage and support the development of students' skills and talents.”
In addition to financial recognition, the award provides a mentorship experience with Fraunhofer specialists, an opportunity that will allow the student to gain access to valuable knowledge and resources to bring his project and ideas to fruition. The Fraunhofer Portugal Challenge, organized annually by Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS, aims to encourage research with practical utility in the fields of Human-Centred Design, Artificial Intelligence, and Cyber-Physical Systems, awarding students and researchers from higher education institutions across Portugal.
The Faculty of Biotechnology - Universidade Católica Portuguesa continues to encourage its students to participate in initiatives that promote technological innovation and the transformation of scientific knowledge into practical solutions.