Mariana Catela Jacob Rodrigues

Mariana Catela Jacob Rodrigues is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Digital Technologies at Iscte – University Institute of Lisbon and an Associate Researcher at the Institute of Telecommunications – IUL, where she works within the Instrumentation and Measurements Group. She holds a PhD in Information Technologies and Systems from Iscte, completed in 2024, following a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications and Computer Engineering from the same institution.

Her research interests span a multidisciplinary range of topics, including:

• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Assisted Living Environments
• Smart Sensors and Wearable Devices
• Cardiorespiratory and Physiological Monitoring
• Environmental and Air Quality Monitoring
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
• Mobile Application Development
• Virtual Reality in Rehabilitation

The analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on the integration of sensor technologies and AI for health and environmental applications. Her work frequently involves the development and evaluation of unobtrusive monitoring systems in ambient assisted living contexts, with specific attention to indoor localization, fall detection, and the impact of environmental stimuli—such as lighting and music—on autonomic nervous system responses. Much of her research is published in IEEE conferences and journals related to instrumentation, sensors, and medical measurements.

Her scientific achievements include:

• Best Student Paper Award at the IEEE International Symposium on Medical Measurements and Applications (2022)
• ISTA Top Talent 2018-2019 (awarded in 2020)
• Best Student Paper Award at the 2nd International Symposium on Sensing and Instrumentation in IoT Era (2019)

Mariana Rodrigues is actively involved in academic service and outreach. She has served on the organizing committees of multiple scientific events, including the International Symposium on Sensing and Instrumentation in IoT Era and several summer schools on Smart Systems for Ambient Assisted Living. She currently holds leadership positions in IEEE, serving as Chair of the IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) Affinity Group and the IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society Chapter at Iscte. She has also contributed to science communication through events like the ISCTE Summer School on “Healthy and Sustainable Environment.”