Workshop: Application of HPC & AI in energy sector

NCC Montenegro, in collaboration with CIGRE Montenegro, is pleased to announce a collaborative workshop scheduled for March 29, 2024. This workshop is designed to enhance industry relations and explore the applications of High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies within the energy sector.
The workshop will provide Montenegrin companies with a comprehensive overview, including:

  • An introductory session on HPC systems, technologies, applications, and associated benefits.
  • Insights into the HPC activities spearheaded by NCC Montenegro.
  • Showcasing HPC success stories and best practices across diverse industries.
  • Highlighting success stories in the energy sector, both in Montenegro and across Europe.
  • Networking opportunities and follow-up consultations for attendees.

We believe that this workshop will significantly enhance awareness of HPC & AI opportunities in the energy sector. It will offer valuable insights and inspirational use cases to members and partners of CIGRE Montenegro, empowering them to remain abreast of the latest technologies and industry trends. Moreover, attendees will discover the transformative potential of supercomputing capabilities in augmenting their business strategies and competitiveness.

Event Details:
Date: 29.03.2024.
Time: 12:00
Location: Podgorica, University of Donja Gorica, 5th floor, hall Vizija
Registration link: https://forms.gle/NBTpJrhLrBZgznfBA
Agenda :

Join us and explore HPC and AI technologies with us, and take the chance to improve work in the energy sector.

IEEE IT2024 program is out!

We are pleased to inform you that the Program of the 28th IT Conference and the schedule of sections are posted on the site within the links “Conference program” and “Sections schedule”. You can access it on the conference’s website.

We would like to inform you that you can follow the work of the Conference via a videoconference link. Authors of papers will be able to present their papers using the ZOOM video conferencing system. Access links are posted on the Conference website, within the links “Section schedule” and “Conference program”. More detailed information is published on the website or you can get it from the technical secretary at it@ucg.ac.me.

For a user to use the ZOOM video conferencing system, the computer must have:

  • standard web browser,
  • webcam and headphones with microphone and
  • Internet connection
Click on image to open IT2024 website

EuroCC Workshop HPC and Industry Application: Registration and Zoom link available

Registration is open for the upcoming EuroCC Training Event – High Performance Computing and Industry Applications. This event is organized in alignment with the 28th International Information Technology IEEE Conference IT 2024, traditionally taking place in Žabljak, Montenegro. The workshop is organized in hybrid mode. EuroCC NCC Montenegro is organizing this event in collaboration with NCCs from Cyprus, Slovenia, Turkiye, Romania, Netherlands, and North Macedonia. You can register for the event by clicking on the image below or at this link.

Click on image to register

You can access the draft version of the agenda here. Please note that the Zoom link is made available in the latest Agenda.

Zoom link available here. The workshop starts on 12:45, 22 Feb 2024.

Click on image to view the Agenda

Online event: Artificial Intelligence and High-performance Computing for real case scenarios

SAVE THE DATE: January 29th, 11:00 AM, register for free: https://bit.ly/3tGjim3

We are organizing an online training event on Artificial Intelligence and High-performance Computing for real case scenarios. This workshop is designed for academia; scholars, researchers, students, who are interested in learning how to use AI/ML and High-performance Computing in real case scenarios. This will be achieved through five lectures featuring educators from Spain and Montenegro who will present successful case studies. This is a twinning effort by two NCCs.

Agenda for the online training by NCC Montenegro and NCC Spain

Hackaton on the use of Computer vision in Montenegrin S3

During the 3 months of intensive work, NCC Montenegro team members were involved in organising 70 classes for more then 50 participants. Lectures were held twice a week, starting in October this year. The training started with Python programming module which focused on mastering all programming skills needed for further work and engagement with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Then we explored AI concepts, mathematical models, computer vision tasks, and provided hands-on examples of using Convolutional Neural Networks, Yolo architectures (YoloV7 and YoloV8), and the Detectron2 package for various computer vision applications. Throughout these modules, participants not only gained exposure to various tools, Python packages and libraries for facilitating AI model development but also had the chance to learn the integration of AI solutions into modern systems and applications with Flask and other web bases technologies. The attendees were informed on NCC Montenegro activities and introduced to capabilites of HPC and its application for AI development that requires lots of computing resources.

Hackaton took place on 23 Dec 2023.

After all classes we organised Hackathon day. The Hackathon gathered 20 teams to work on HPC/AI and Computer Vision projects in agriculture, medicine and tourism. Before the Hackathon Day, after which the best ideas were showcased and awarded, there were two weeks of intense mentor-guided sessions. These sessions helped teams with their projects and in figuring out high-performance computing needs for handling large datasets , execute experiments, and testing advanced AI models. This hackaton was implemented in cross-collaboration with the AI4S3 project funded by the Innnovation Fund of Montenegro.

The hackaton was attended by over 50 people
24 teams presented their potential application of HPC and AI in Montenegrin S3
The presentations focused on health, tourism, energy and food sectors
The hackaton ended in celebration and social event

Workshop “Digital Transformation and HPC/AI” for BSc students

On 8 Dec 2023, a workshop on “Digital Transformation and HPC/AI” unfolded at the University of Donja Gorica. Over the course of this semester, final-year BSc students from the Faculty for Information Systems and Technologies delved into research on HPC and AI technologies within the framework of the Managing Information Technology subject. The EUROCC NCC Montenegro team conducted enlightening lectures and presentations on HPC and AI, providing students with a comprehensive grasp of these technologies and illustrating their pivotal roles in digital transformation.

Digital transformation and HPC/AI students workshop

During the workshop, students had the opportunity to showcase the projects they worked on throughout the semester, projects that will be defended during their final exam in Managing Information Technology course. The presented use cases spanned across various fields such as tourism, medicine, agriculture, and digital marketing. This event not only allowed students to share their findings but also fostered a deeper understanding of the practical applications of HPC and AI in real-world scenarios. Our focus was on the possible applications of interest for Montenegro and in the priority domains of Smart Specialisation Strategy for Montenegro (2014-2019).

Over 20 BSc students participated
AI powered chatbot for hotel reception
HPC/AI model cretion for sign language
HPC/AI for recognizing cultural and historic monuments
Prediction of attendance of sport events
Use of computer vision in medicine
Computer vision for drones for prevention of forest fire
Computer vision for precision agriculture and pest management
Event took place at the University of Donja Gorica

Progress on AI4S3 project

In the previous period, as part of the AI4S3 project, which is supported by Innovation fund of Montenegro, numerous lectures on the application of artificial intelligence in S3 areas were organized at the UDG:

  • Python programming: Our participants went through a thorough training in Python, starting with the basics of the programming language, all the way to advanced topics. Through homework, our participants demonstrated a high understanding and application of Python in various scenarios. This was the first step towards strengthening their programming expertise.
  • Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI): this module was a journey through the world of artificial intelligence. We started with the historical development of the technology, exploring how machine learning and deep learning algorithms have evolved over time. In the pyTorch and TensorFlow suite, we developed some basic deep learning models. We focused especially on neural networks, explaining their mathematical and technical foundations. Participants gained a thorough understanding of the technologies that shape our world.
  • AI in S3 priority areas: this segment was extremely important because the basic idea of this training is precisely the application of new technologies. Innovative projects developed by our lecturers, specifically focused on the application of AI in S3 areas, were presented. This gave participants an insight into the practical application of AI in the real world. Also, we dealt with ethical issues and challenges in the development of AI models, encouraging participants to think critically about the impact of technology on society.
The training included Python basis, introduction to AI and ML, applications in S3 domains

With over 50 participants from various academic and industrial circles, our training has become a meeting place for different perspectives and innovations. By the end of this training, two more modules are planned, namely The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Computer Vision and Tools and Libraries for AI Model Development. At the very end, training participants will present their projects, which they will develop in teams in cooperation with mentors. This training is a continuation of previous NCC Montenegro and Open Mind Academy efforts.

Mr Stevan Cakic, AI4S3 project coordinator
Over 50 trainees from various academic and industrial sector
Participant will be trained and metored to implement their own hands on projects
The course included cross-collaboration and presentations of practical use cases