/ iiiUC Supports / SeedProjects@UC / Winning projects

Digital, Industry and Space

Winners

CoDRI | PI: Gustavo Assunção
Winning Project 2025

The CoDRI project positions itself at the forefront of industrial automation and human-machine coexistence, focusing on the growing influence of robotics over experience and performance. Its main objective is to extract meaningful insight from human psychological and neurological signalling, displayed during interaction with collaborative robots, and employ it as a factor for physical and social regulation. It is hypothesized that this adaptation procedure will lead to both improved productivity and worker well-being.

Project pitch

SpaDeLab | PI: Ricardo Jorge Maranhas Gafeira
Winning Project 2024

SpaDeLab – Space Debris Laboratory of the University of Coimbra is an interdisciplinary project for the study of space debris, involving the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA), the Center for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes (CEMMPRE), and the facilities of the Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory, aiming to better understand their impact energies with satellites and other space assets and to contribute for keeping Space a clean and safe environment for the “New Space Economy”.

Project pitch

NeWLOife | PI: Cecília Isabel Alves Ventura dos Santos
Winning Project 2023

NeWLOife aims to develop an effective regeneration process using supercritical carbon dioxide as a solvent for the extraction of base oils from used lubricating oils (WLOs). The goal is to reduce the high environmental impact of WLOs and create a high-quality product that can be reintroduced into their useful life cycle. The use of supercritical carbon dioxide as a solvent not only has the potential to be a cleaner, more economical technology with no by-products but can also help capture carbon dioxide from industrial facilities.

SUSTe | PI: Jorge Fernando Brandão Pereira
Winning Project 2022

SUSTe - Development of SUStainable and integrative bioprocess for the recovery of TellurIum-based nanoparticles from photovoltaic wastes presented by the researcher Jorge Pereira. This project aims to develop a process for recycling rare materials found in solar panels, which are highly toxic to the environment, through the use of bacteria that capture them, allowing their reuse. This is a process with enormous potential for industrial scalability.

Pitch of the Project

Neurocobots | PI: Artur Pilacinski
Winning Project 2020

"Neurocobots - Developing brain-machine interface for dynamic human-robot cooperation" presented by Arthur Pilancisk from FPCEUC.

Abstract

Project pitch

For more information