Harnessing the power of ideas and innovation. Unlocking the potential of tomorrow.
At IDEA, we drive innovation for a smarter, sustainable future, empowering communities through technology. We are committed to digital transformation in health, smart cities, tourism, and maritime systems, fostering real-world impact through sustainable development and collaboration.
Research Areas
At IDEA, we drive innovation at the convergence of AI, IoT and data-driven technologies, delivering human-centric, sustainable, and impactful solutions across diverse sectors. Our research transforms cutting-edge knowledge into real-world prototypes and applications, bridging the gap between science and industry. IDEA is shaping the future across these five domains:
Industry 5.0
Sustainable, Human-Centric & Intelligent Manufacturing
✔ AI-Driven Decision Support and Predictive Analytics
✔ Smart Factories and Cyber-Physical Systems
✔ Human-Augmented Processes and Workspaces
✔ Energy Flexibility Strategies
✔ Secure and Interoperable Industrial Data Spaces
Digital and Public Health
Data & AI at the Service of the Community
✔ Smart Healthcare and Wellbeing Solutions
✔ Wearable and IoT-Enabled Devices
✔ Digitally Enhanced Systems for Prevention and Rehabilitation
✔ Wastewater Surveillance for Public Health
✔ Secure and Interoperable Data Exchange
Smart Cities
Data-Driven, Sustainable & Resilient Urban Ecosystems
✔ Smart Mobility and Transport Solutions
✔ Green Energy and Citizen-centric Energy Communities
✔ Energy-Efficient Solutions for Smart Buildings
✔ IoT-Enabled Urban, Environmental and Climate Monitoring
✔ Privacy-Preserving and Inclusive Digital Services
Smart Tourism
AI & Robotics Enhancing Culture & Visitor Experiences
✔ AI-Driven Destination and Touristic Attraction Management
✔ Smart Museums and Digital Heritage Innovation
✔ Personalised Visitor Experience
✔ Immersive and Augmented Solutions
✔ Social Robots and AI-Powered Digital Guides
Maritime
Sustainable & Advanced Blue Economy
✔ AI-Powered Traffic Monitoring and Management
✔ Smart Ports and Logistics Optimisation
✔ IoT and Satellite Analytics for Marine Environmental Monitoring
✔ Smart Grid Integration of Offshore Renewable Energy
✔ Precision Aquaculture
Technologies
IoT Architectures
The IoT transforms how physical and digital systems interact by integrating smart devices, sensors, and real-time analytics. Our work in IoT includes designing and implementing low-latency, and energy-efficient sensor networks that optimize performance, and digital twins creating real-time virtual replicas of physical systems.
Interoperability
IDEA specializes in developing cross-platform data exchange frameworks and models that enable seamless collaboration. Our expertise extends to European Data Spaces, fostering secure, interoperable, and data-sharing ecosystems that empower organizations to exchange and leverage data while ensuring compliance with European regulations.
AI & Data Science
IDEA leverages AI and data science for advanced analytics to extract meaningful insights from complex data, and intelligent decision-making, helping organizations optimize operations and enhance user experiences. By integrating machine learning, statistical analysis, and data visualization, we help bridge the gap between raw data and actionable intelligence.
Smart Grid Systems
IDEA studies demand response mechanisms, decentralized energy trading models, and predictive grid analytics to support the transition to cleaner, more resilient energy systems. By integrating renewable energy sources and real-time optimization tools, we help create smarter and more autonomous energy infrastructures.
Cybersecurity
As organizations and cities become increasingly digitized, ensuring data security, privacy, and system resilience is more critical than ever. Using zero-trust cybersecurity frameworks and AI-powered threat detection, our expertise ensures that IoT systems, industrial networks, and smart services remain secure, compliant, and resilient to emerging cyber threats.
Social Robotics
Social robotics enhances human-machine interaction by integrating AI-driven automation, natural language processing, and behavioral modeling. IDEA customises robots for tourism and healthcare. From elderly and social care and rehabilitation to digital guides in cultural heritage, our solutions create immersive experiences, improving accessibility and engagement.
Projects & Initiatives
Bienal Arte Design
The HAPINESS MEASURE is integrated in the 1st Funchal Biennial of Art and Design, which will take place from March 25 to June 29, 2025. Over the course of more than three months, the Funchal Biennial of Art and Design will traverse the city, bringing together a wide range of artistic expressions. From design to visual arts, music, theater, film, and gastronomy.
This pop-up showcases the results of the SMART BEAR project, a European initiative that has provided innovative solutions for active and healthy aging, using digital technologies and medical devices to monitor the health of seniors aged 65 to 80. These devices enabled continuous health tracking, transmitting real-time data to healthcare professionals for improved care management. This installation presents the key results of the study and their impact on medical innovation through technology, design and science. As health leads to wellbeing and happiness, come experience this pop-up and see for yourself how happiness is reached!
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TeleRehaB DSS
TeleRehaB aims for developing an AI-based Decision Support System, building upon/expanding on previously developed platforms, tools, obtained results and know-how (i.e., HOLOBALANCE, SMART BEAR projects), to support effective and affordable treatment for patients at risk of fall for both in clinic and remote home-based care.
This will be achieved through a telerehabilitation diagnostic and management decision support system for patients and clinicians, that will be co-created with all stakeholders (patients, clinicians, regulatory and commissioning bodies) harnessing knowledge and tools developed and validated and the experimentally proven machine learning approach.
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Smart Bear
Ageing is a central challenge for EU societies as the number of elderlies is on the rise. Ageing has significant social and financial impacts due to higher incidence of health disturbances such as hearing loss, cardiovascular diseases, mental and balance disorders. The trend in elderly care is to search for solutions for the prevention and effective treatment of age-related ailments.
The EU-funded SMART BEAR project will develop a platform based on a variety of sensors and mobile instruments that will permanently collect data on their daily life and analyse these to provide personalised interventions.
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Madeira Digital Health and Wellbeing Initiative
Madeira Digital Health and Wellbeing is a collaborative initiative that seeks to promote the application of digital technologies to health and wellbeing. The scope of the initiative goes way beyond dissemination of research results but also encompasses technology demonstration and deployment as a real mean to facilitate engagement and enrolment in the region of Madeira.
The initiative intends to work as a platform for knowledge and experience sharing establishing links with the regional stakeholders and contributing for building up a strong and engaged community of citizens, healthcare professionals and technology providers.
Read MoreCome to be a part of the team!
Join a team that is passionate about creating innovative solutions.
- Innovative projects where you can bring your own ideas
- We cherish collaboration and diversity. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds to join us
- Work-life balance and remote friendly
- We value and support continuous education
- We have research scholarships approved by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia)
Researcher
September 2023
We are seeking experienced and innovative senior researchers to lead cutting-edge projects and drive impactful discoveries.
Software Engineer
September 2023
You are experienced in creating automated testing, applying design patterns and other engineering best practices.