Bruno Miguel Mateus Ferreira

I am a Senior Researcher at the center for Robotics and Autonomous Systems at INESC TEC. I graduated in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, first with a MSc degree in 2009 and with a PhD degree in 2014. Since 2009, I have been working on Surface and Underwater Robotics, researching on Control, Guidance, Localization and Coordination of marine robots.

My activities have been developed in the context of several national and international projects, among which the following are highlighted: Lajeado (development of an AUV for dam inspection); FP7 ICARUS (Integrated Components for Assisted Rescue and Unmanned Search operations); and FLEXUS (Flexible Unmanned Surface vehicles for the Internet of moving things), funded by H2020 RAWFIE project.

I am also involved in the development of several robotic systems and at the origin of several prototypes such as the autonomous surface vehicle FLEXUS and the autonomous underwater vehicle SHAD.

Domains

Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Projects

BLUECOM+

The BLUECOM+ project aims at developing an innovative communications solution that will enable broadband, cost-effective Internet access at remote ocean areas to regular devices, using standard wireless access technologies such as GPRS/UMTS/LTE and Wi-Fi.

Connecting Humans and Systems at Remote Ocean Areas using Cost-effective Broadband Communications

ENDURE

The objective of this project is to develop and demonstrate a cost-effective solution for recharging autonomous underwater vehicles used in remote oceanic areas, including deep-sea deployments. The ultimate goal is to support the collection of data on the marine environment and human activities for long periods of time. Project ENDURE also aims at addressing appropriate exploitation and impact assessment measures of the technology to be developed, together with an effective dissemination and communication of the project's results.

Enabling Long-Term Deployments of Underwater Robotic Platforms in Remote Oceanic Locations

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Publications

Probabilistic Positioning of a Mooring Cable in Sonar Images for In-Situ Calibration of Marine Sensors

Oliveira, AJ;Ferreira, BM;Cruz, NA;Diamant, R;

2024

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MOBILE COMPUTING

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Identification through a Kernel Regressor

dos Santos, PL;Azevedo Perdicoulis, TP;Salgado, PA;Ferreira, BM;Cruz, NA;

2023

OCEANS 2023 - LIMERICK

Feature Extraction Towards Underwater SLAM using Imaging Sonar

Oliveira, AJ;Ferreira, BM;Cruz, NA;

2023

OCEANS 2023 - LIMERICK

TEC4SEA-Developing maritime technology for a sustainable blue economy

Monica, P;Cruz, N;Almeida, JM;Silva, A;Silva, E;Pinho, C;Almeida, C;Viegas, D;Pessoa, LM;Lima, AP;Martins, A;Zabel, F;Ferreira, BM;Dias, I;Campos, R;Araujo, J;Coelho, LC;Jorge, PS;Mendes, J;

2023

OCEANS 2023 - LIMERICK

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Centres

Robotics and Autonomous Systems

The Centre for Robotics and Autonomous Systems (CRAS) focuses on developing innovative robotic solutions for operation in complex environments. Each day, our researchers strive to map the unknown, creating solutions to explore the oceans’ depths, monitor the environment, or inspect infrastructures. Our goal? To become a global reference in robotics and autonomous systems, combining expertise in multisensory perception and 3D modelling, navigation and control, robotic manipulation and intervention - pushing the boundaries of autonomous robotics and integrating aerial, ground, and underwater robots into our solutions. Focusing on Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) between 5 and 8, CRAS develops prototypes and operational solutions for strategic sectors. Our laboratory infrastructure includes test tanks, prototyping workshops, and a wide range of equipment ready to operate in real-world environments. Our researchers also resort to Mar Profundo, a support vessel for testing and validating innovative maritime technologies - a key asset in bridging theoretical design and field validation. CRAS stands out for a practical approach: we combine advanced research with a strong focus on real-world applications, reducing human risk in hazardous missions, optimising operations and processes, and expanding the frontiers of autonomous robotics.