It was not yet 10am on May 16th and there were already several students waiting to enter the online session of Engineering Challenges, which took place exclusively online and took place during Education Week. The 2022 edition featured a lecture on the applicability of engineering and artificial intelligence in health, promoted by Ana Teresa Freitas, professor of Técnico and researcher at the Institute of Systems and Computer Engineering – Research and Development (INESC-ID), and a Quizz organized by Técnico. On May 20th, a final test was held, through the participation of students in a virtual escape room.

The event had 297 students from several classes of the 7th, 8th and 9th year of 13 groups of schools and started from an initiative of the Instituto Superior Técnico in partnership with the Municipality of Loures.

“Who would want to be able to guess the future?”, “What is medicine?”, “What is artificial intelligence?” and “What do smartwatches do?” were the starting questions for the first part of a first day full of challenges.

Professor Ana Teresa Freitas explained that through artificial intelligence it’ts possible to know what is the best drug and minimize side effects. “Doctors increasingly have to monitor patients in health and disease. We are increasingly in an approach to preventive health”, explained the professor.

Through medical imaging, the optimization of clinical processes, medical diagnosis itself and medical education, artificial intelligence is gradually entering the practice of 21st century medicine – a personalized, preventive, accurate and participatory medicine. And that’s how the contribution is made through the several areas of engineering.

The second part of the day featured a Quizz assigned by students of Técnico, representing the Student Support Center (NAPE) which found 28 finalists for the second and last phase of challenges.

In the final phase, which took place on May 20th, students were challenged to participate in a final test – a virtual escape room – that distributed them across teams in several zoom rooms, and featured challenges of logical reasoning, mathematics and strategy.

António Marcelino, Advisor to the Mayor of Loures and Professor José Marques, Vice-President of Técnico closed the Engineering Challenges announcing the finalists, “the best of the best”. At the end of the game, the big winner was the Bobadela School Group, followed by the October 4 School Group, which occupied second place, and the Catujal and Unhos School Grouping, which came in third place, respectively.

This is an activity that serves to foster teamwork and explain to students how the world of engineering, mathematics, physics and chemistry can have a very wide application, and bring them closer to the main areas of engineering.

For those who want to know about the activity of NAPE, you can consult all available activities and programs. The list of Undergraduate courses is a part of the academic offer of Técnico, who bets on a continuous training of his students. To gain access to academic information, access contests and mobility programs, simply go to the Study in Técnico section.