NCC Montenegro team wishes you Happy Holidays and all the best in New 2024 Year!
Happy Holldays and New 2024 Year!
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.
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.
Supercomputing Info Day
Collaborative ” Supercomputing INFO DAY” involving NCC Spain, NCC Netherlands, NCC Slovenia, NCC Montenegro and NCC Cyprus will bring together companies from different countries and different industries to share their experience on using HPC infrastructure to improve their products and services, optimize business workflows and elevate industry competitiveness. By showcasing inspirational use cases and success stories, the event aims to promote company benefits arising from supercomputing opportunities and NCC services for industry.
We are inviting you to join us on 24th of January for the online industry event and discover supercomputing possibilities and potential for your company. Registration for the event: https://eurocc-spain.res.es/supercomputing-info-day/
NCC Montenegro: Meeting at UoM
University of Montenegro, NCC Montenegro’s affiliated partner, organized a EuroCC2 project meeting on December 13th, gathering deans, professors, and researchers from its Engineering and Science (Mathematics, Biology, Physics) Faculties, interested in HPC-powered research, development and innovation opportunities.
Professors Bozo Krstajic, UoM and Tomo Popovic, UDG provided introductory session on EuroCC2 project and joint UDG and UoM activities. Professor Luka Filipovic presented NCC Montenegro training activities, services and industry success stories.
The engaging discussion allowed academic participants to gain valuable insights into: HPC practical applications across various research domains, NCC infrastructure opportunities with Yotta Advanced Computing and application process for accessing EUROHPC resources. The next steps will be defined through HPC/AI-aligned research and project initiatives, and supported cooperation with public administration and big industry.
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.
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).
HPC4SME self-evaluation tool – Are you ready to use HPC?
NCC Slovenia/Arctur d.o.o led and CASTIEL supported Task Force HPC4SME that successfully mobilised 17 NCCs within EuroCC2 footprint, in joint effort to upgrade HPC4SME Automated Assessment Tool for evaluation of Cloud HPC readiness of the European companies.
Task Force activities were focused on content update (questions, answers, info fields, report, translation), fine tuning of MADM (Multi- Attribute Decision -Making Model), beta testing with SMEs and service upgrade to the new AAT system.
The enhanced HPC4SME Tool was formally introduced during CASTIEL webinar for the Industry Working Group by Arctur team, focusing on SME’s evaluation benefits and supporting activities on NCCs market intelligence, competence mapping and industry steering process.
HPC4SME Automated Assessment Tool is already available at NCC Montenegro website https://eurocc.udg.edu.me/hpc4sme-assessment-tool/, providing an opportunity for Montenegrin companies to discover IF and HOW they can benefit from supercomputing services.
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.
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.
