Roman BECK Tiago CARDOSO is a Professor at the Faculty of Science and Technology from the New University of Lisbon – NOVA. Tiago was born in Lisbon in 1973 and studied Computer Science Engineering, completing the BSc, MSc and PhD, closely related to the (computational) services area. Nowadays he is “diving on” the Digital Games with special attention to games devoted to help children growth, with the focus on children and young adults with neuro-development disorders.
Along his 1st 20+ years of career, Tiago was professor in several distinct courses taught by the Robotics and Integrated Manufacturing group on the Electrical and Computer Science Engineering course, ranging from Real-Time Systems, Data Modelling in Engineering up to Tele-Robotics and Autonomous Systems or Virtual Enterprises, passing by Multimedia Information Systems and, more recently, Digital Games’ Technologies, among other courses.
The research activity carried out along the way was made in the Center of Technology and Systems from “Uninova – Centro de Desenvolvimento de Novas Tecnologias”, first within the CODIS (Collaborative Networks and Distributed Industrial Systems) and lately within the RICS (Robotics and Industrial Complex Systems) research group. Three main research areas have gathered Tiago attention, namely Virtual Enterprises, (Web) Services and Digital Games.
This latest passion has attracted all Tiago’s energy following an “applied research” approach towards making sure the results of his efforts really do achieve the end users – the players. Among with some colleagues, Tiago is founder of the games Social Tech Booster initiative, aiming at Boosting the application of Technology (digital games) to Social Causes (helping children growth). In this context, the group contacts with child-care specialists to gather their needs, ask the help of finalist students and deliver digital games to distinct audiences of children and young adults, providing them with an entertaining tool that works on serious issues as a side effect of games that pursue the Fun and Engagement of the players.