Luis Filipe Garcia

Luís Garcia is an adjunct professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Beja, where he teaches courses related to operating systems and human-computer interaction.

His professional and research activity focuses on the use of computer and electronic systems to assist people with special needs, and is particularly interested in assistive systems for people with communication difficulties (augmentative and alternative communication systems).

Through the existing collaboration protocol between ESTIG and the Cerebral Palsy Center of Beja (CPCB) he has collaborated for about 20 years in the process delivering assistive technologies and following-up users in this area.

He is a founding partner of SUPERA (Portuguese Society of Rehabilitation Engineering, Assistive Technologies and Accessibility), and is currently a member of the board.

He is co-author of the augmentative and alternative communication system "Eugénio - The Genius of Words".

As a result of the research work with this system, in 2004, he received the “Maria Cândida Cunha” Scientific Merit Award.

More recently, he was a finalist of the “Engenheiro Jaime Filipe - 2018” Award, for the studies involving the use of the context of communication to improve the performance of vocabulary prediction mechanisms in augmentative and alternative communication systems, having received an honorable mention.

PhD in Informatics and Computer Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, with the thesis "Toward a Context-Aware Augmentative and Alternative Communication System with Vocabulary Prediction for the European Portuguese".

Master's Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico of the Technical University of Lisbon, with the thesis "Design, Implementation and Evaluation of an Augmentative and Alternative Communication System for European Portuguese".

Degree in Computer Engineering from the School of Science and Technology, Nova University Lisbon.

International Journals

Luís Filipe Garcia, Luís Caldas de Oliveira, David Martins de Matos, Evaluating pictogram prediction in a location-aware augmentative and alternative communication system, Assistive Technology, Taylor & Francis, vol. 28, n. 2, pages 83-92, doi: 10.1080/10400435.2015.1092181, April 2016.

Luís Filipe Garcia, Luís Caldas de Oliveira, David Martins de Matos, Measuring the Performance of a Location-Aware Text Prediction System, Transactions on Accessible Computing, ACM, vol. 7, n. 1, doi: 10.1145/2739998, June 2015.

Luís Filipe Garcia, Luís Caldas de Oliveira, David Martins de Matos, Word and Sentence Prediction: Using the best of the two worlds to assist AAC users, Technology and Disability, IOS Press, vol. 26, n. 2, pages 79-91, doi: 10.3233/TAD-140406, November 2014.

International Conferences

Luís Filipe Garcia, Luís Caldas de Oliveira, David Martins de Matos, Measuring the Performance of a Location-Aware Text Prediction System, ASSETS 2015, 17th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility, Lisbon, Portugal, October, 2015. (TACCESS journal paper)

Luís Filipe Garcia, Luís Caldas de Oliveira, David Martins de Matos, What Can We Do To Make AAC Devices Configuration Easier?, In ISAAC Conference 2014, International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Lisbon, Portugal, July 2014.

Luís Filipe Garcia, Luís Caldas de Oliveira, David Martins de Matos, Word and Sentence Prediction: Using the Best of the Two Worlds to Assist AAC Users, In 12th European AAATE Conference, IOS Press, Vilamoura, Portugal, September 2013. (candidate to best paper award)

Garcia, Luís, Luís de Oliveira. “Sistema de CAA com Adaptação ao Contexto Físico”. Iberdiscap2011. Palma de Maiorca, Espanha. 2011.

Guerreiro, Maria José, Mário José Candeias, Isabel Sofia Brito, Luís Garcia. “Sistema de Informação para a Gestão de Avaliações em Tecnologias de Apoio”. Iberdiscap2011. Palma de Maiorca, Espanha. 2011.

Barros, João, Luís Garcia. The Bologna Process as a Motivator for Change. Informatics Education Europe II (IEEII). Thessaloniki (Grécia). Novembro 2007.

Alexandre, Luís, Luís Garcia, Luís Bruno. “Development of an Electronic Scholar Notebook for Students with Special Needs”. DSAI2007. Vila Real. 2007.

Garcia, Luís. “Support of a Special Student Using Assistive Technologies in a Regular School: Perspectives from a Rehabilitation Engineer Professional”. DSAI2007. Vila Real. 2007.

Bruno, Luís, Luis Garcia. “Performance Effects of Keyboard Navigation in Web Systems” 11th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction. Las Vegas. July 2005.

Garcia, Luís, Luís de Oliveira. “Description and Evaluation of a Portuguese AAC System”. 11th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction. Las Vegas. July 2005.

Garcia, Luís, Luís de Oliveira. "Quantitative Evaluation of a Portuguese Word Predictor". 11ª Biennial Conference of ISAAC (International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication), ISAAC 2004. Natal-Brazil. October 2004. (http://www.isaac2004.unicamp.br)

National Conferences

Garcia, Luís, Luís de Oliveira. “Geração Automática de Abreviaturas para Sistema de Comunicação Alternativa do Português Europeu”. Interacção 2008. Évora. 2008.

Bruno, Luís, Joaquina Carreteiro, Hugo Gonçalves, Luís Garcia. “Avaliação e Redesenho da Usabilidade e da Acessibilidade do Sítio Web da ESTIG”. Interacção 2008. Évora. 2008.

Alexandre, Luís, Gonçalo Fontes, Nelson Cavaco, Luis Garcia. “Desenho de um Sistema de Recolha de Estatísticas para o Boccia”. Interacção 2006. Braga. 2006.

Moedas, Alexandra, Luis Garcia, Luís Bruno. “Concepção de um Assistente de Software para o Desenvolvimento de Teclados para o Sistema Eugénio”. Interacção 2006. Braga. 2006.

Bruno, Luís, João Brisson Lopes, Luís Garcia, João Pereira. “Avaliação do Jogo de Computador Boccia para Adequação a uma Equipa de Jogadores com Paralisia Cerebral”. Interacção 2006. Braga. 2006.

Bruno, Luís, Luis Garcia, Paula Rodrigues. “Avaliação dos sítios web das Câmaras Municipais do distrito de Beja”. 6ª CAPSI . Bragança. Outubro 2005.

Garcia, Luís, Luís de Oliveira. “Disposições de Teclas para Aceleração da Escrita de Textos em Português com Selecção por Varrimento”. 1ª Conferência Nacional em Interacção Pessoa-Máquina. Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa. Julho de 2004. (http://interaccao2004.di.fc.ul.pt)

Bruno Miguel Pires Figueira. Sistema de Marcação de Estadias em Surfcamps. Mestrado em Engenharia Informática. Universidade de Évora. 2019.

(2011-2014) - Project National Technology Transfer System – Supporting Scientific and Technological Infrastructures (ALENT-07-0262-FEDER-001870).

(2012-2013) - Project "Eliminating Communication Barriers in School and Life" This project was developed by the 3rd C Class of the Schools Group nº. 3 de Beja - Santiago Maior for the 10th edition of the Contest "Escola Alerta" 2012-2013 of the National Institute for Rehabilitation, where it had the collaboration of the School of Technology and Management of Beja, Municipal Library of Beja and CRTIC of the Group of No. 2 Schools in Beja.

(2011-2012) - Project "Electronic School Notebook (CEE)" This project was funded by the "Special Education" program of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and developed by a partnership constituted by the School of Technology and Management of Beja (ESTIG), Cerebral Palsy Center of Beja (CPCB) and School Clusters No. 2 and No. 3 from Beja (AE2, AE3).

(2005-2006) - Collaborator in “Projecto Estrela”, financed by the Portugal Telecom Foundation and the Portuguese Cerebral Palsy Association and developed by a partnership formed by the Cerebral Palsy Center of Beja (CPCB) and the Augmentative and Alternative Communication Techniques Unit (UTAAC) of the Calouste Gulbenkian Rehabilitation and Cerebral Palsy Center.

(2004-2006) – Collaborator in the Project “CRHIR – Resource Center for the Integration, Qualification/Rehabilitation of Children and Youth”, funded by the Ministry of Education under paragraph b) of nº 1 of Decree 1102/ 97 and developed by a partnership formed by the Cerebral Palsy Center of Beja (CPCB), the Educational Support Coordination Team of Beja (ECAE Beja) and the School of Technology and Management of Beja (ESTIG).

(1999-2001) - Researcher in the Project “Augmentative Communication Tools in Portuguese for People with Special Needs” subsidized by the CITE IV program of the National Secretariat for the Rehabilitation and Integration of People with Disabilities (SNRIPD) and developed by a partnership formed by the Center of Cerebral Palsy of Beja (CPCB) and the Educational Support Coordination Team School of Education of Beja (ESEB) Institute of Systems and Computer Engineering (INESC), School of Technology and Management (ESTIG) and Center for Cerebral Palsy of Beja (CPCB).

(1999-2002) - Researcher in the project “CITAR - Communicate, Inform, Train, Learn, Perform” subsidized by the Nónio XXI program and developed by a partnership formed by the Cerebral Palsy Center of Beja (CPCB) and the School of Education of Beja (ESEB).