IEEE COINS 2022: HPC and Deep Learning for Computer Vision in Smart Farms

Researchers from EuroCC Montenegro presented two papers at the IEEE International Conference on Omni-Layer Intelligent Systems (COINS). IEEE COINS (link) is the right place to be. IEEE COINS brings together experts in Digital Transformation (from AI and IoT to Cloud, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, and Robotics) from around the globe. IEEE COINS includes a multi-disciplinary program from technical research papers, to panels, workshops, and tutorials on the latest technology developments and innovations addressing all important aspects of the IoT & AI ecosystem. The conference took place 1-3 August in Barcelona.

This paper was a result of the collaboration on FF4EuroHPC application experiment project called AIMHiGH that focuses on computer vision and the use of HPC to develop object detection prediction models for the use in smart agriculture, more specifically in the poultry sector. The title of the paper is “Developing Object Detection Models for Camera Applications in Smart Poultry Farms”.

ABSTRACT – This paper proposes the use of high-performance computing and deep learning to create prediction models that can be deployed as a part of smart agriculture solutions in the poultry sector. The idea is to create object detection models that can be ported onto edge devices equipped with camera sensors for the use in Internet of Things systems for poultry farms. The object detection prediction models could be used to create smart camera sensors that could evolve into sensors for counting chickens or detecting dead ones. Such camera sensor kits could become a part of digital poultry farm management systems in shortly. The paper discusses the approach to the development and selection of machine learning and computational tools needed for this process. Initial results, based on the use of Faster R-CNN network and high-performance computing are presented together with the metrics used in the evaluation process. The achieved accuracy is satisfactory and allows for easy counting of chickens. More experimentation is needed with network model selection and training configurations to increase the accuracy and make the prediction useful for developing a dead chicken detector. (link)

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Mr. Stevan Cakic in Barcelona

IEEE COINS 2022: Detecting Pneumonia with TensorFlow and CNNs

Researchers from EuroCC Montenegro presented two papers at the IEEE International Conference on Omni-Layer Intelligent Systems (COINS). IEEE COINS (link) is the right place to be. IEEE COINS brings together experts in Digital Transformation (from AI and IoT to Cloud, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, and Robotics) from around the globe. IEEE COINS includes a multi-disciplinary program from technical research papers, to panels, workshops, and tutorials on the latest technology developments and innovations addressing all important aspects of the IoT & AI ecosystem. The conference took place 1-3 August in Barcelona.

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The paper called “Detecting Pneumonia with TensorFlow and Convolutional Neural Networks”, authored by D. Babic, I. Jovovic, T: Popovic, S. Cakic and L. Filipovic discussed the use of deep learning and HPC to create prediction models aimed at detecting pneumonia in chest x-ray images.

ABSTRACT – Artificial intelligence is getting more and more involved in our everyday life as a result of enormous amounts of data available for feeding the machine and deep learning algorithms. Deep learning introduced new dimensions and possibilities of applications in medical science. With COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 at global level, the health systems of many countries were overwhelmed. With many patients infected, health system is pressured to correctly diagnose patient’s state of illness. In a lot of occasions, it was almost impossible to correctly diagnose many COVID-19 positive patients that have pneumonia due to many outbreaks in many areas. The intelligent system that could detect pneumonia with certainty could help in easing the pressure on the health system and make doctors focus on more severely ill patients. This paper describes development of pneumonia detection model using TensorFlow to processes the chest X-ray images to determine whether the patient has pneumonia. The model is based on deep learning algorithm supported through convolutional neural network. The model presented in this paper has achieved rather high accuracy (over 95%) in analyzing X-Ray images and could be used to speed up decision process in healthcare. (link)

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Mark Your Calendars! EuroCC Conference in Montenegro in September 6-9

University of Donja Gorica (UDG) and NCC Montenegro will host the International Scientific and Academic Conference. The conference is realized within the framework of the EuroCC project – National Competence Centers in the Framework of EuroHPC, which will bring together experts from 33 countries.

If you are interested in HPC, HPDA, and AI, you need to be in Montenegro in September

EuroCC project team, coordinated by the University of Stuttgart from Germany, decided that UDG will host this year’s international conference. The international scientific and academic conference called “EuroCC/CASTIEL” will take place from 6-9 September this year and will gather over 200 experts from 33 member countries of EuroHPC JU – Joint Undertaking for European High Performance Computing within the Horizon2020 program. The conference will cover topics from the field of HPC technologies and related disciplines such as high performance data analysis (HPDA), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, parallel programming, computer simulations and the like. The conference will be dedicated to current topics in the global age, as well as their impact on the entire society, including the latest technological and business achievements in this area. Emphasis will be placed on advanced e-infrastructure, the key component of which is precisely HPC, which contributes to the development of modern science and is essential for many advanced researches.
In addition to the above, the conference will present projects results, done as part of the FF4EuroHPC open calls, aimed at the highest quality experiments of innovative small and medium-sized enterprises across Europe, including the use of artificial intelligence, cloud technologies, HPC and others.

Learn about NCC Montenegro and EuroCC activities at UDG

We invite experts and the general public, if they are interested in participating in the part of the conference open to the public, to register at eurocc.conference@udg.edu.me.

Check EuroCC Access website for more information: EuroCC@Montenegro.

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ANSO Training Project: Competency Training in IoT and AI

UDG and NCC Montenegro team members won a grant from ANSO – Alliance of International Science Organizations. This project aims development of a competency training in Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and it is focused on innovation based on IoT and AI and development of competences and skills students will needs to have competitive advantage in IoT/I in the near future. This project started at the beginning of 2022 and will be implemented until the end of 2023. Ongoing activities are including initial team preparation and analysis of the sectors (WP1). The key personnel include UDG and NCC Montenegro senior members, as well as reputable experts from China, Serbia, and Slovenia. UDG is an ANSO Member Organization. More on ANSO can be found here.

Ongoing activities focused on team preparation and analysis of the sector

Open Mind Academy: Successful Python Course for High-school students

During the summer school of game programming, students had the opportunity to learn the basics of the Python programming language, and later the pyGame game development package within the EuroCC NCC Montenegro.

Python programming for high-school students

In the first part of the training, students learned why programming is so widespread today, what the basic data types are in Python, what are the conditions and loops. Also, students had the opportunity to learn what lists and dictionaries are, but also what object-oriented programming is. Besides listening to lectures, everyone who wanted to follow the second part of the training had to do homework (writing essays and programming). In the second part of the training, intensive lectures were held where the participants heard more about the Python package pyGame. This package is used to develop games in Python. Through the creation of the game, students learned how to program movement in games, detect collisions between objects, add graphics, sound. At the end of this part of the training, 4 teams were formed. The last day of training was organized as a competition between teams. Their task was to make a smaller game. The winning team won the prize to participate in this year’s conference within the EuroCC NCC Montenegro project.

Students spent time in online sessions to prepare and then three full days at the UDG

It was a pleasure for us to work with such a talented group of young people who we expect will achieve great success in the future.

Online sessions were attended by 25 students and 16 of them came for 3-day workshop at the UDG

Digital Transformation in Agriculture: Chamber of Economy of Montenegro

As part of the Erasmus+ VIRAL project, a training was held at the Chamber of Economy of Montenegro in order to promote digital transformation and the application of ICT in agriculture. Representatives from University of Donja Gorica prepared a presentation entitled “Digital transformation in agriculture” as part of the Digital Day, on Friday, July 22, 2022. starting at 1 p.m., in the premises of the Chamber of Economy of Montenegro. As part of the presentation, an overview of the activities of the VIRAL project was given. The presentation covered foundations of the process of digital transformation and the application of ICT solutions in agriculture. During the presentation and discussions, other project relevant to ICT and digital transformation in agriculture were featured including EuroCC and AIMHiGH projects. This topic is fully in line with Montenegrin Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3 Montenegro), and we concluded that another similar workshop needs to be organized in Fall of 2022.

Workshop organized by UDG and Chamber of Economy in the context of VIRAL project
EuroCC featured in the presentation by UDG during the VIRAL workshop
AIMHiGH, an FF4EuroHPC application experiment

Industry cooperation: “Elektroprivreda” published the interview with Prof. Kezunovic

EuroCC and NCC Montenegro were featured in “Elektroprivreda”, a magazine published by the national power company EPCG. The magazine published the interview with prof. dr Mladen Kezunovic that was done during his visit to UDG and his invited lecture “AI in Energy Sector”. This effort was part of our engagement of the industry to promote AI and HPC applications and EPCG is one of the major stakeholders in energy sector in Montenegro.

Magazine “Elektroprivreda” no. 415, July 2022