10-02-2026
Rita Barbosa, a 24-year-old former student of NOVA FCT, developed within just two days a mobile application capable of detecting and blocking scam attempts via phone calls or text messages. The project, named “Guardião” (Guardian), won first place at the largest Artificial Intelligence (AI) programming event in Germany. The hackathon brought together 450 participants from 48 countries, who had 48 hours to create AI-based projects.
With a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering from NOVA FCT and currently pursuing a Master’s in Artificial Intelligence at the Hamburg University of Technology, Rita was motivated by a personal experience: her grandmother fell victim to a phone scam, losing between 3,000 and 4,000 euros and becoming afraid to use her phone afterward.
The “Guardião” app integrates an AI agent that analyzes incoming calls and messages and can identify, in about two seconds, whether it is a scam attempt. When the system detects fraudulent patterns, the call is automatically ended or the message is blocked before the user sees it, preventing them from having to make pressured decisions. According to its creator, all data is stored locally on the device, with no personal information shared externally.
Designed mainly for the elderly population—but suitable for anyone—the app was built with simplicity in mind. Once installed, it works automatically, requiring no complex setup from the user. According to the project’s technical report, there are more than two million people aged over 65 in Portugal, many of whom struggle to distinguish legitimate calls from fraudulent ones. “Instead of teaching older people to distrust, we created something that distrusts for them,” explains Rita.
The “Guardião” app is expected to be available for free download on the Google Play Store by the end of February. For winning first place at the European AI Hackathon, Rita Barbosa received prizes worth 70,000 USD, including monetary rewards, credits, and development support packages.
This achievement reinforces NOVA FCT’s role in training professionals who apply scientific and technological knowledge to address pressing and socially relevant challenges.
