Academic Trajectory

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, I have been passionate about computers and video games since childhood. My curiosity for math and science began early in elementary school. At the age of 13, I started programming in Python, and shortly after, I began using Linux. From there, I ventured into animation and Flash game programming, which somehow sparked a deep interest in mathematics, computing, and astronomy. Soon after, I developed an interest in electronics and began studying basic circuits on my own.

During high school at CEFET (2012–2014), my interest in computing grew stronger. In my final year, I participated in a research project focused on educational technology, where I helped develop a mobile application to teach vector concepts in high school physics. The app generated random vector exercises for students, and their performance statistics were sent to teachers for analysis.

Uncertain about which field to pursue, I started my studies in the BCMT (Bachelor of Mathematics and Earth Sciences) program at UFRJ in 2015. There, I was exposed to various subjects like mathematics, geology, astronomy, and chemistry, which broadened my academic perspective.

In 2017, motivated by my interest in retro gaming and computers, I switched to the Electronic and Computer Engineering program. During my second semester, I took a course on Digital Systems, which caught my attention. Around that time, I had been invited to join two research projects but hadn't felt particularly drawn to them. After completing the course, I reached out to the professor to learn more, and he invited me to join a research project in a different area. From then on, I became involved in research on Machine Learning, Digital Signal Processing, and Computer Vision.

My first research project focused on novelty detection in passive sonar systems using machine learning, particularly deep learning models. This introduced me to data science and machine learning, where I explored various techniques and tools. The second project, which I started a year later, was about developing intelligent computer vision solutions for embedded systems to help prevent electrical pole failures in remote areas. This experience involved working with OpenCV and optimizing memory usage for real-time image processing and transmission.

In 2023, I moved to São Carlos, São Paulo, to start a master's degree at ICMC-USP, as I had developed a strong interest in robotics. My research focused on exploring attention mechanisms for multi-sensor fusion in autonomous vehicles. The goal was to build upon BEVFusion by simplifying the image-processing backbone to reduce computational costs while compensating for performance loss using attention-based feature enhancement.

Although I find robotics interesting and a growing field, I realized that career opportunities in this area, particularly in computer science, are somewhat limited in academia. In 2024, while working as a teaching assistant for the "Practical Digital Systems" course, I noticed that this field—one that I had enjoyed during my undergraduate studies—offered more teaching and research opportunities, even though it has a smaller community compared to robotics and machine learning.

Because of this, in 2025, I started a PhD in Computer Science at ICMC-USP, where I am working on developing a general-purpose Data Flow-based computer architecture.

Despite focusing on Data Flow architectures, I continue to explore Machine Learning, Computer Vision, and Signal Processing independently, particularly for applications in robotics and biomedical engineering, hoping to align these interests in the future.

Research Interests

Artificial Intelligence

• Machine Learning
  • Artificial Neural Networks
  • Deep Learning
  • Reinforcement Learning
  • Out-of-Distribution Detection
• Computer Vision
  • Object Detection
  • Segmentation
  • Pattern Recognition
• Evolutionary Computation

Computer Engineering

• Computer Architecture
• Embedded Systems
• Reconfigurable Computing
• Application-Specific Processors and Accelerators
• Operating Systems

Electronic Engineering

• Digital Signal Processing
  • Digital Image Processing
  • Audio and Speech Processing
  • Biomedical Signal Processing
  • Feature Extraction
  • Denoising
• Digital Systems
• Cyber-Physical Systems

Application Areas

• Robotics
  • Computer Vision in Mobile Robotics
  • Out-of-Distribution Object Detection
  • Planning
  • Multi-Robot Systems
• Biomedical Engineering
  • Medical Image Segmentation
  • Pathology Detection

Hobbies

• Video Game Enthusiast: Avid gamer and collector of retro video games. Currently playing retro games from the third to the seventh generation, as well as modern games on PC and Nintendo Switch. Particularly interested in FPS, strategy, puzzle, and RPG games.
• Anime, Cartoons, Comics, and Manga: Particularly interested in animations and comics that explore themes related to computers, military settings, cyberpunk, surrealism, psychological thrillers, and questioning reality.
• Music Lover: Passionate about video game music, jazz, sludge/stoner/doom and progressive rock.
• Technology and Hacking: Enthusiastic about developing and tinkering with computational systems, electronic devices, and software. Areas of interest include:
  • Computer and retro gaming hardware
  • Operating Systems
  • Electronic Circuits