Research


Revolution of Knowledge Work is funded by Tekes, as a large strategic opening. We create information-seeking and sense-making methods supporting a revolution of knowledge work. Our symbiotic human-information interfaces to heterogeneous data sources are context-aware user-controlled explanation-giving and interactive.By combining the potential of human creativity and the capability of computers to handle  data, we support human cognition, freeing the knowledge worker’s time to sense-making, collaboration and creative thinking. Presently, I'm co-responsible by the research involving user input.


Find A Brand – Logo Detector (Research Assistant)


Automatic logo detector for Android applications using camera real-time detection. The goal of this project was to create a mobile application that can detect in real time a brand logo and launch an application related with the same brand. As a case-study the current prototype launches an image scratching app (“raspadinha”). The user has to aim at a physical brand and after the logo is detected the user has to scratch an image to see if there  is some bonus beneath. I have worked in the user interaction for scratching an image.


VideoInk (Ph.D. student)

Due the growth of video sharing, its manipulation is important, however still a hard task. In order to improve it, this work proposes a pen-based approach, called VideoInk. The concept exploits the painting metaphor, replacing digital ink with video frames. The method allows the user to paint video content in a canvas, which works as a two dimensional timeline. This approach includes transition effects and zoom features based on pen pressure. I have implemented a proof-of-concept prototype in C+ (openCV, openFrameworks and bbTablet) and running on Tablet PCs.


Download the my bbTablet MSVC2010 update, originally developed by William Baxter and also updated by Adel Amro.


 TKB/Creation-Tool (Ph.D. student - collaboration with CLUNL/FCSH/UNL, led by Carla Fernandes)

The CREATION-TOOL is an original video annotator that was designed and developed from scratch as a software output deriving from the TKB project. It supports multimodal annotation and is applied to contemporary dance as a creation tool. It was conceived and designed to assist the creative processes of choreographers, functioning as a digital notebook for personal annotations. The prototype, developed for Tablet PCs, allows video annotation in real-time, using a live video stream, or post-event, using a pre-recorded video stream. The tool also allows different video annotation modalities, such as annotation marks, text, audio, ink strokes and hyperlinks. In order to maintain the annotations context, i.e., to maintain the association between a note and the corresponding video feature, graphical video annotations can be combined with motion tracking algorithms. In addition, the system enables different modes of annotation and video visualization. The evaluation was made by international dance performers. I worked in the development, interaction design and evaluation of the Creation Tool.


mEmLearn (Winner of the HP Technology for Teaching Grant Initiative 2006) (Research Assistant)

The mEmLearn project departed from the VideoStore framework to support Tablet PCs. This project had the aim to define tools that enable students to augment the course materials in an interactive way, during or after the classes, to retrieve these materials at a later stage and to share them with other students or instructors. The system includes a Web drawing interface that allows students to annotate and share course materials with the Pen-based technology. I implemented the system prototype (Adobe Flash/Actionscript3) that enables pen-based video annotations, using Tablet PCs.


VideoStore (Research Assistant)



The main goal of the VideoStore project was to develop a Web based learning system, which enables to store, annotate and share video content. The prototype included: synchronized video with slides (MS Producer 2003); different video interfaces, such as mosaic, videoSpot and (streaming) log analyzer; video annotations; slides thumbnail interface; automatic video and slides editing for podcast.The project combined video streaming, video editing with Microsoft Media Format SDK, XML, PHP and JavaScript. The evaluation was made by Computer Science master students. I developed the system and its interfaces and planned the prototype evaluation.

 Selected Research


Present

Doing research on the following topics:

Human-Computer Interaction and Multimedia

Creativity Support Tools; Video Interfaces; Multimodal Interactions; Human-Information Interaction; Search and Retrieval Interfaces



MODINA (Local-PI)


Movement, Digital Intelligence and Interactive Audience (MODINA) is a 3-year project co-funded by the Creative Europe program of the European Union. It aims to expand the creative possibilities for contemporary dance performances, and augment the experience for the audience, using digital technology – with an emphasis on exploring artificial intelligence (AI) and audience interaction, on-site and online. This aim has two interconnected approaches, targeting dance artists, media artists (creative technologists), and audiences.


SYNTECS (Local-PI)



SustainablY aNd digiTally driven hiErarchical laser texturing for Complex Surfaces (SYNTECS) is a research project (RIA) belonging to Horizon Europe. SYNTECS aims to develop and demonstrate a digital and green laser texturing approach to generating complex multifunctional surfaces. Surface textures and texturing processes for these demonstrators will be designed using a Design for Surface Engineering software module, which will incorporate LCA guidance combined with predictive performance modeling to enable sustainable-by-design decision-making. SYNTECS will demonstrate that hierarchical laser surface texturing provides a highly efficient and flexible route to replacing multiple (typically chemical and mechanical) energy and resources intensive surface treatment steps with a single, digitally controlled, chemical- and waste-free process.


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CultAR (Postdoctoral Researcher)

 


        

Culturally Enhanced Augmented Realities (CultAR) is a small or medium-scale focused research project (STREP) belonging to Seventh Framework Programme of European Commission (EU FP7). The main objective of CultAR is to develop an integrated mobile full mixed reality platform combining markerless augmented reality, mobile 3D maps, tactile interfaces and directional audio for advanced context-aware personalized and digital cultural experience in urban environments. Currently, I led the WP7 regarding the integration of the different project components



           Re:Know (Postdoctoral Researcher)