Sílvio Mendes | 110 anos do Técnico

Author Archive

Episode 41: The Soccer Robots

Friday, April 8th, 2022

Técnico’s robots were among the first Portuguese robots to participate in the RoboCup, an international competition that combines robot soccer competitions (and other categories) with cutting-edge research in robotics and artificial intelligence. Técnico’s first soccer robots were created in 1998, at a time when robots hardly moved and had many difficulties finding the ball. A lot has changed since then, and nowadays these “athletes” demonstrate great abilities of vision, control and movement. The participation of the Técnico / ISR researchers in the competition helped to boost scientific development: master’s and doctoral theses, international partnerships and a lot of prestige in robotics, which was also applied in search and rescue competitions and domestic robot competitions.

Acknowledgements:
Pedro Lima
Isabel Ribeiro
João Ricardo Pateiro (TSF)
José António Barbosa (TSF)

Episode only available in Portuguese in: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Anchor.fm

Further reading and additional audio in the Portuguese version of this webpage.

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Episode 40: The oil painting portrait of Alfredo Bensaude

Friday, April 1st, 2022

The oil painting portrait of Alfredo Bensaude reflects his importance in the history and reform of engineering education in Portugal. He was the founder and first director of Técnico, from 1911 to 1922, and became its honorary director in 1924. He designed an educational model that provided a strong foundation in mathematics and engineering, and which involved the students’ participation. The oil painting portrait was painted in 1924 by the artist João Reis (and not by Ricardo Bensaude, as it was believed until this podcast episode was made) as part of the solemn session honouring Bensaude that same year. The painting is in the office of the president of Técnico and keeps the memories, influence and thoughts of its founder alive.

Acknowledgements:
Ana Mafalda Cerdeira
Palmira Silva

Episode only available in Portuguese in: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Anchor.fm

Further reading and additional audio in the Portuguese version of this webpage.

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Episode 39: The Slide Rule

Friday, March 25th, 2022

The slide rule was an essential tool for Técnico students until the introduction of electronic calculators in the 1970s. A copy of the slide rule went to the Moon in the pocket of astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Other copies helped generations of Técnico students to solve complex multiplication problems, with applications in mathematics and engineering. A special version of a slide rule is exhibited at Faraday Museum (Alameda campus). It is over 1.8 meters long, and used to be on the wall of an amphitheatre to help Técnico professors to demonstrate its use and share the results with students.

Acknowledgements:
Ana Silvestre (Comunicação Departamento de Matemática)
Anabela Teixeira
Gabriel Pires
Luís Ferreira
Moisés Piedade
Departamento de Matemática do Instituto Superior Técnico
Liceu Camões
Museu Nacional de História Natural da Universidade de Lisboa
Museu Faraday

Episode only available in Portuguese in: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Anchor.fm

Further reading and additional audio in the Portuguese version of this webpage.

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Episode 38: The Biradial Turbine

Friday, March 18th, 2022

The biradial turbine, patented in 2011, put Técnico at the forefront of world research in the area of wave energy, but its genesis dates back to 1974. It all begins with “a 40 years old man called Agnelo David, a trader in Almeirim, and inventor in his free time, who arrived at Técnico”. He didn’t have any technical or scientific background, but he had an idea in mind: the ocean and sea waves contained a lot of energy and maybe it was possible to take advantage of it. Some years later, a research group was created at Técnico, which would become one of the most competitive research groups at international level. The research group was involved in the construction of the world’s first wave power plant, which operated from 1999 to 2018, on the island of Pico. At the origin of more than 40 years of research in this field is an incredible story of ideas that are (also) born outside of academia.

Acknowledgements:
António Falcão
Luís Gato
João Henriques
Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica do Instituto Superior Técnico

Episode only available in Portuguese in: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Anchor.fm

Further reading and additional audio in the Portuguese version of this webpage.

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Episode 37: The Freiberg mining models

Friday, March 11th, 2022

Alfredo Bensaude, the first director of Técnico, brought more than 50 mining models from the late 19th century, from Germany to Portugal. These mining models spent decades at Técnico – Alameda campus, and were essential for students to understand the underground mining process. These replicas are made up of removable parts that allow a three-dimensional visualisation, which was a teaching potential at the time. Currently, they are displayed at Centro Ciência Viva do Lousal (in a natural mining complex, which was active from 1900 to 1988). One of the models was left at Técnico Geosciences Museums.

Acknowledgements:
Álvaro Pinto
Matilde Costa e Silva
João Costa
Jorge Fernandes
Jorge Relvas
Centro Ciência Viva do Lousal
Departamento de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Georrecursos
Museus de Geociências do Técnico

Episode only available in Portuguese in: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Anchor.fm

Further reading and additional audio in the Portuguese version of this webpage.

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Episode 36: The olive oil barrel

Friday, March 4th, 2022

The olive oil barrel is one of the symbols of the Traditional Music Ensemble (TME) at Instituto Superior Técnico. It arrived at Técnico during the Alameda campus construction, which lasted from 1929 to 1942, and was hidden in the campus basements and archives until it was found by two families who lived in Técnico’s main building basement during the campus construction. The TME meets once a week for their rehearsals and gives concerts across the country on a regular basis.

Acknowledgements:
Delminda Carneiro
Grupo de Cantares Tradicionais do Instituto Superior Técnico

Episode only available in Portuguese in: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Anchor.fm

Further reading and additional audio in the Portuguese version of this webpage.

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Episode 35: The Arrábida Bridge Model

Friday, February 25th, 2022

The Arrábida Bridge Model, one of the most important works by engineer and Técnico professor Edgar Cardoso, has been at Técnico since at least the 1970s, first in the Main Building and later in the Civil Engineering Museum. The Arrábida Bridge, which was inaugurated in 1963, shows Edgar Cardoso’s rigorous and demanding work. We must highlight the impressive aesthetics of his projects and his pioneering work in the use of scale model bridges in order to test their resistance.

Acknowledgements:
Carlos Ferraz
Fernando Branco
Departamento de Engenharia Civil, Arquitectura e Georrecursos
Museu de Civil
Filomena Santos (Biblioteca do Técnico)

Episode only available in Portuguese in: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Anchor.fm

Further reading and additional audio in the Portuguese version of this webpage.

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Episode 34: ISTSAT-1, the first Portuguese CubeSat

Friday, February 18th, 2022

The ISTSat-1 is the first nanosatellite fully developed in Portugal, by Técnico students. The design is based on CubeSat format, and it is almost ready to be launched into orbit. The ISTSat-1 started to be developed in 2017, and it is scheduled to be launched later this year. Its scientific mission is to demonstrate the ADS-B aircraft detection technology in orbit.
An ESA’s launch vehicle, probably Ariane 6, will launch the small cube-shaped satellite into orbit to fulfill its mission. The ISTSat-1 involved a team of Técnico students and professors who created innovative technological solutions. If all goes well, two years from now it will be burning as it re-enters the atmosphere.

Acknowledgements:
Moisés Piedade
Rui Rocha
Projeto NAnoSat

Episode only available in Portuguese in: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Anchor.fm

Further reading and additional audio in the Portuguese version of this webpage.

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Episode 33: Isabel Gago’s Portable Analysis Laboratory

Friday, February 11th, 2022

Isabel Gago and Técnico are inextricably linked: She was the first female chemical engineer, second female engineer and first female Técnico professor. Her legacy goes far beyond her memory as a professor, as she was also responsible for the creation of some iconic objects, such as the Portable Analysis Laboratory, a suitcase that converts into a laboratory which, in the 1940s, allowed to perform all types of mineral tests in the field. In addition to these unique research objects, Isabel Gago also left an important mark on teaching and research. At that time, Isabel Gago paved the way for women in a male-dominated society.

Acknowledgements:
Departamento de Engenharia Química do Técnico
João Salvador Fernandes
Filomena Santos (Biblioteca do Técnico)

Episode only available in Portuguese in: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Anchor.fm

Further reading and additional audio in the Portuguese version of this webpage.

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Episode 32: Rhino, Técnico’s 1st educational robot

Friday, February 4th, 2022

Rhino was Técnico’s first educational robot and provided its students with unique experiences with robotics in the 80’s and 90’s, such as programming the robot to stack builds on top of each other, among many other things. Rhino’s command system allowed independent arm movements to be programmed, which was a big step forward at the time. It contributed to the astonishing process of industrial transformation that brought technology into our daily life. Today, Rhino is inside a display case, in Mechanics III building, at Alameda campus.

Acknowledgements:
Mário Ramalho
Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica do Instituto Superior Técnico

Episode only available in Portuguese in: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Anchor.fm

Further reading and additional audio in the Portuguese version of this webpage.

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