Leandro Maciel Almeida
An associate professor at the Center for Informatics of UFPE (Brazil), he holds a PhD in Computer Science focused on Artificial Intelligence and a postdoc from the University of Birmingham (UK). For over a decade he has worked at the frontier of machine learning, pattern recognition and intelligent sensors, with publications in journals such as Scientific Reports (Nature) and the IEEE Sensors Journal. As the lead of Aromalytics an AI-powered Electronic Nose, he develops technologies that recognise and interpret aroma patterns, bringing AI into the realm of smell. The project was selected for LIF Global 2026, by the Royal Academy of Engineering, and named a Deep Tech Pioneer by Hello Tomorrow (Paris).
Feeling, Being and What AI (Still) Doesn't Do
With the accelerated advancement of artificial intelligence, doubt grows about which activities still remain essentially human. In some professions, the presence of the person continues to be central, as it involves body, emotion, subjective perception, and continuous sensory training. Activities related to smell, for example — deeply connected to memory and individual experiences —, represent one of these frontiers. But will AI be able to reproduce or even surpass this creative and sensory dimension in the future?