The “Viva Bem” Applied Research Center (CPA) was officially launched at an event held at the Auditorium of the Institute of Computing (IC) at Unicamp on Friday (3). The project, which seeks to advance the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop solutions capable of expanding prevention, monitoring and care for health, has the support of the São Paulo Research Foundation (Fapesp) and the company Samsung.
The initiative focuses on the use of wearable devices, such as smartwatches and smart rings. Through continuous monitoring and the use of advanced algorithms, it is possible to anticipate potential health risks and offer personalized care to patients.
During the launch ceremony, Professor and Director of the "Viva Bem" CPA, Anderson Rocha, highlighted that the objective is to promote a paradigm shift in medicine, replacing a predominantly reactive model – of sporadic or reactive visits to doctors' offices – with a preventive and personalized approach.
“Health is still largely addressed after symptoms appear. What we seek is to develop technologies capable of identifying early signs and allowing interventions before the disease manifests,” explained Rocha. According to him, the proposal is to use AI to continuously monitor physiological indicators obtained by devices such as smartwatches and other equipment, allowing for permanent health monitoring in real-life conditions. “Care ceases to happen only in the doctor's office or during an annual check-up and begins to accompany the person throughout the day, seven days a week,” he stated.
The establishment of the "Viva Bem" Research Center is the result of a journey that began five years ago, bringing together researchers from the Institute of Science (IC), the Gleb Wataghin Institute of Physics (IFGW), the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering (FEEC), the Faculty of Physical Education (FEF), the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM), and the University Hospital (HC) at Unicamp. According to Rocha, the consolidated scientific base allowed for the structuring of a research center focused on both knowledge production and the practical application of developed technologies.
Research lines
The project is organized into six research lines, which include continuous health monitoring, development of embedded algorithms for mobile devices, integration of different physiological signals, explainable artificial intelligence, modeling of biological variability, and software engineering for technology transfer to industry.
Among the anticipated applications are methods capable of identifying early changes related to sleep disorders, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, anxiety, stress, and other clinical conditions. "The goal is not only to indicate that a problem exists, but to understand why it occurs and to offer information that can support clinical decisions with transparency and reliability," Rocha emphasized.
Representing the Rectorate of Unicamp, the Pro-Rector of Undergraduate Studies, Mônica Cotta, highlighted that the new center is the culmination of an initiative taken during the pandemic, reinforcing the importance of partnerships between universities, companies, and funding agencies. “The science of the future depends on this capacity to integrate distinct knowledge and engage with different sectors of society,” she pointed out. “We also need to ensure that technological innovation goes hand in hand with ethical principles and the protection of people,” she noted.
Cooperation
The general coordinator of Technologies and Innovation Partnerships at FAPESP, Rodolfo de Azevedo, explained that the Applied Research Centers model was created to strengthen cooperation between universities and companies in long-term projects. He explained that the APPs have shared funding between the Foundation and partner companies, allowing for planning of up to ten years – an initial five years, with the possibility of renewal for another five. “The distinguishing feature of this model is that the research is born already connected to practical application. It is not enough to produce scientific articles; it is necessary to transform knowledge into solutions that reach society,” he said.
The event also featured the participation of Otávio Penatti, Director of R&D in Artificial Intelligence at Samsung.
Cover photo:
