IPCA · DESIGN RESEARCH · 2026
A research workspace exploring the integration of artificial intelligence into parametric processes for the development of 3D-printed upper-limb prostheses.
01 / THE REPOSITORY
This repository brings together the dissertation work of Pedro Miguel Candeias da Silva, carried out within the Master’s in Product Design and Development at IPCA, under the supervision of Demétrio Ferreira Matos. It connects the literature review, the development of a parametric platform, and the documentation of fabrication trials and technical assessment.
It provides access to the dissertation, records development decisions, and connects the reported results with the supporting data, models, documents and tools. It also preserves the revision history and supporting research material.
02 / EXPLORE
Different ways to explore the work and access its resources.
READING
Read the full dissertation. Asterisks beside citations open the associated references and, where available, excerpts from the bibliography audit, including passages that cite several sources.
Dissertation in Portuguese. Excerpts retain their source language and the context of the earlier audit.
Read the dissertationPLATFORM
A research prototype for exploring the parametric customisation of prosthetic hands: anthropometric measurements, AI-assisted parameter suggestions, model visualisation and STL export for 3D printing.
The application’s source code and documentation are maintained in a dedicated repository.
These tools were developed by Pedro Candeias to support reference management, document workflows and research organisation.
An independent LibreOffice Writer extension for searching a Mendeley library, inserting citations and generating bibliographies, using the API or imported BibTeX files.
View source code and installationLibrary organisation, metadata enrichment, duplicate detection, and DOI and title normalisation.
View source code and guideA supporting tool for downloading PDFs from a Mendeley library, using authentication with the relevant account.
View source code and guideScripts for document conversion, content extraction, citation review and maintenance of research files.
Explore the toolsThe public repository contains the dissertation, appendices, supplements, figures and supporting data. Its README presents the available documents and explains the file organisation.
HandFab and the prototypes are research outputs. The documented technical assessment does not constitute clinical validation.