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Central European Working Group in Slovenia

Central European Working Group in Slovenia


On May 19, 2025, we met with representatives of National Competence Centres for High-Performance Computing (HPC) from Central European countries. The in-person meeting of the Central European Working Group, held in Slovenia, provided us with an exceptional opportunity to exchange experiences, strengthen regional cooperation, and discuss the shared challenges and opportunities we face within the EuroCC project. We built professional relationships and engaged in constructive discussions with representatives from neighboring countries that, like Slovakia, are running their national HPC competence centres and working on their continuous development. Such meetings play an important role in shaping common approaches, identifying synergies, and sharing best practices in delivering services to users—whether they are research institutions, the public sector, or businesses.

Božidara Pellegrini, Tomáš Kollárik, Halyna Hyryavets

The National Competence Centre for HPC in Slovakia was represented at the meeting by Halyna Hyryavets, who is responsible for communication, marketing activities, and cross-border cooperation; Tomáš Kollárik, who oversees educational activities; and Božidara Pellegrini, who focuses on facilitating HPC services for the private sector and building partnerships with companies.

As part of the working discussions, we addressed several current topics. We focused on access to EuroHPC JU computing resources, discussed ways to improve training and educational services to better meet user needs, and also explored how to enhance the clarity and accessibility of information through targeted and clear communication.

An important topic of discussion was also the support for companies and startups in accessing HPC infrastructure. We shared our experiences and discussed joint initiatives at the European level. A significant part of the meeting was dedicated to the AI Factories initiative, which represents a new impetus for the development of artificial intelligence in Europe and opens up further opportunities for Slovakia – whether in terms of access to computing capacity, support for innovation, or talent development (even though an AI Factory has not yet been established in Slovakia).

We are glad to have actively contributed to the expert discussions and shared our insights and experiences, which can help further strengthen the HPC ecosystem in the region. We see such in-person meetings as extremely valuable for coordination and effective collaboration across the entire EuroCC network.

We thank the organizers for a well-prepared event and look forward to continuing our joint activities that help bring high-performance computing closer to people, businesses, and institutions across Europe.

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What Is Artificial Intelligence Capable of Today? Watch the Recording of the Webinar "Training Machines to Detect Any Object"

What Is Artificial Intelligence Capable of Today? Watch the Recording of the Webinar "Training Machines to Detect Any Object"


On May 13, 2025, a professional webinar titled Teaching Machines to See Any Object was held, organized by RNDr. Andrej Lúčny, PhD., from the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics at Comenius University in Bratislava. The lecture focused on current challenges and solutions in the field of computer vision and artificial intelligence, with particular emphasis on enabling systems to recognize objects without the need for prior categorization.

While traditional artificial intelligence models are trained to recognize objects from predefined categories (such as “dog,” “car,” or “tree”), modern research is shifting toward enabling machines to perceive any object as a distinct entity—even if that object has never appeared in the training data before. This advancement is particularly crucial in the field of robotics, where machines operate in unpredictable environments and must independently identify new and unfamiliar objects.

The lecture introduced several breakthrough technologies that make this advancement possible. The main topics included:

  • the use of the DINO model (2021), which was trained without the need for annotated data and enables a humanoid robot to direct its attention to relevant parts of a scene,
  • the use of the CUTLER model (2023) and the MaskCut method, which operates on the principle of optimizing the image's graph structure (NCut) and enables efficient object segmentation,
  • new approaches to generating precise segmentation masks using neural network learning, which improve the accuracy of object localization and shape within an image.

In addition to the technological overview, the webinar also offered practical demonstrations of how these models are applied within a robotic system. Participants had the opportunity to gain insight into the research process and understand how theoretical knowledge is put into practice—from model training to deployment in real-world environments.

The event was intended for a broad expert audience—researchers, educators, PhD candidates, students, and professionals in the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics, and computer vision. The high attendance and the number of questions during the discussion confirmed that this is a highly relevant and rapidly evolving area of research.

We thank everyone who participated in the webinar and trust that the knowledge gained will contribute to the continued advancement of research and innovation in this field.

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HPC and Artificial Intelligence: Joining Forces for the Future of Technology

HPC and Artificial Intelligence: Joining Forces for the Future of Technology


On Tuesday, May 14, 2025, we attended the PyData Slovakia & Bratislava Meetup #29, which took place in Bratislava. The gathering of the data and technology community focused on current trends in artificial intelligence, with an emphasis on understanding how large language models (LLMs) work—tools that increasingly influence various aspects of our lives, from communication and education to business operations and public administration. The keynote speaker of the evening was Radovan Kavický, President and Principal Data Scientist at the GapData Institute, who delivered an engaging talk titled “Under the Hood of LLM,” offering a compelling look into the inner workings of today’s advanced language models.

Lucia Malíčková, Radovan Kavický, Halyna Hyryavets

Participants gained deeper insights into the technical foundations of transformer architectures, including how these models process input data, generate responses, and why they are both powerful and computationally demanding. A particularly intriguing part of the presentation was the introduction of the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which offers a new approach to handling context and memory within LLM systems. MCP was compared with other methods such as Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and so-called Agent-to-Agent (A2A) protocols. These emerging methodologies highlight the direction in which LLM technologies are evolving and the potential they hold in the development of personalized chatbots, intelligent assistants, and autonomous AI agents.

Lucia Malíčková and Halyna Hyryavets represented the National Supercomputing Center (NSCC) at the event. During the meetup, Lucia Malíčková introduced the mission and activities of the NSCC, as well as the range of services the center provides to both the research community and academic institutions. She also presented the work of the National Competence Center for HPC, which supports Slovak businesses, researchers, and public institutions in transferring knowledge and innovation in the field of high-performance computing into practical use.

During the event, we also officially announced the beginning of a new collaboration aimed at connecting the artificial intelligence community with experts in high-performance computing. We believe this synergy will open up new opportunities for leveraging advanced AI technologies in areas that require significant computational power—such as training large models, running simulations, or processing complex datasets. We look forward to future joint activities and discussions that can help strengthen the link between technological infrastructure, applied research, and innovation.

The event took place in a friendly and open atmosphere, providing space for discussion, networking, and sharing experiences among participants from various fields — including data science, academia, technology companies, and startups. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the organizers for their professional preparation and for giving us the opportunity to be part of a community that is eager to engage in conversations about the future of technology in an expert yet accessible way.

Our participation confirms that the topics of artificial intelligence and high-performance computing are becoming increasingly relevant—and increasingly interconnected—within Slovakia. We are pleased to have contributed to this important discussion and look forward to future opportunities to showcase the benefits and potential that HPC infrastructure offers for AI development and the digital transformation of society.

Lucia Malíčková

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Cooperation with SARIO brings new opportunities for both students and companies

Cooperation with SARIO brings new opportunities for both students and companies


Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO) and the National Supercomputing Centre (NSCC), which also hosts the National Competence Centre for HPC, are strengthening their cooperation in connecting education, innovation, and practice. Based on a memorandum of cooperation signed on April 16, we have actively joined the established program Internships for Universities – Solutions for Companies.This program connects university students with the specific needs of Slovak and international companies, while also supporting the practical application of theoretical knowledge in real-world projects.

During our working meetings with representatives of the program, we explored specific areas of cooperation. We discussed opportunities for student internships as well as involvement in solving practical tasks related to high-performance computing (HPC). We see the interest in linking the academic and technological environment with real-world practice as one of the key prerequisites for preparing experts to tackle the digital challenges of the future.

At the same time, we discussed with SARIO the possibility of expanding our cooperation to include a master's program project focused on talent development in the field of supercomputing. Through this initiative, we aim to support the creation of a new generation of specialists capable of tackling complex computational tasks across various sectoral challenges—from industry to research and development.

For us, this cooperation is of strategic importance. It represents a concrete step toward ensuring that Slovakia becomes not only a user but also a creator of advanced digital solutions. We are building connections between the public sector, education, and innovation—exactly the kind of partnership that can move the country forward in terms of technological progress.

We also discussed opportunities for further cooperation during a meeting with project manager Barbora Szepeová. We value the established dialogue and believe that we can build a long-term partnership that will deliver tangible results for companies, students, and the professional community alike.

We are convinced that by systematically combining expertise in high-performance computing with initiatives such as Internships for Universities – Solutions for Companies, we can make a real contribution to transforming Slovakia into an innovative economy built on knowledge, data, and modern technologies.

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Interview: Supercomputers Are No Longer Sci-Fi, but a Tool That Helps Companies Succeed

Interview: Supercomputers Are No Longer Sci-Fi, but a Tool That Helps Companies Succeed


Supercomputers are often associated with science fiction movies or cutting-edge academic research in the eyes of the public. However, in reality, they are becoming an increasingly important tool for everyday businesses that want to innovate more efficiently, optimize processes, better predict customer behavior, and gain a competitive edge. In an interview with Inovato – an innovation lab focused on supporting breakthrough ideas and connecting experts across sectors – our colleague Lucia Malíčková discusses how high-performance computing technologies can also benefit small and medium-sized enterprises.

In the interview, she outlines the practical applications of supercomputers in industry, healthcare, marketing, and public administration. She shares experiences from companies that have decided to harness computing power to solve specific problems – from optimizing production and analyzing customer data to developing new products. At the same time, she openly addresses the barriers that often prevent companies from taking the first step – such as concerns about technical complexity or complicated procedures – and explains how, with the support of our center, these obstacles can be easily overcome.

We also invite you to join the upcoming online workshop Supercomputer in Business – The Secret Weapon for Your Success,taking place on May 13, 2025. The workshop is intended for companies interested in exploring the practical uses of supercomputers, learning from real-life examples, and discovering how they can collaborate with us.

If you're curious about how a supercomputer could benefit your business, be sure to read the full interview..

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NSCC Launches Collaboration with Slovak Academy of Sciences 

NSCC Launches Collaboration with Slovak Academy of Sciences 


V utorok 6. mája 2025 sa stretli zástupcovia Národného superpočítačového centra, Ústavu polymérov Slovenskej akadémie vied a Fyzikálneho ústavu Slovenskej akadémie vied. Stretnutia sa zúčastnili Lucia Malíčková (Národné superpočítačové centrum), Dušan Račko a Zdeno Špitalský (Ústav polymérov SAV) a Adriána Hvizdošová Annušová (Fyzikálny ústav SAV). Hlavným cieľom stretnutia bolo nadviazanie spolupráce a otvorenie dialógu o konkrétnych formách podpory, ktorú môžu Národné superpočítačové centrum a Národné kompetenčné centrum pre vysokovýkonné počítanie poskytnúť výskumným pracoviskám Slovenskej akadémie vied.

The discussion focused primarily on facilitating effective access to cutting-edge computing infrastructure and leveraging expert know-how in the fields of high-performance computing, data analytics, and artificial intelligence. The National Supercomputing Centre thus acts not only as a technical partner but also as a strategic intermediary between research institutions and modern tools of digital science, helping to ensure more efficient use of computational resources in addressing complex interdisciplinary research challenges.  

Kľúčovým bodom stretnutia bola príprava spoločného projektu, ktorý bude realizovaný na národnej výskumnej infraštruktúre Devana, ktorá je prevádzkovaná Výpočtovým strediskom SAV. Počas stretnutia so zástupcami SAV sme diskutovali o analýze štruktúrnych vlastností technických tkanín s cieľom lepšie porozumieť ich  správaniu v špecifických podmienkach. Projekt prirodzene prepája odborné kapacity z oblasti polymérnych a biologických materiálov, fyzikálnych analytických metód a výpočtovej techniky – a predstavuje ukážkový príklad interdisciplinárneho prístupu k riešeniu komplexných vedeckých otázok.  

This type of collaboration also reflects the long-term vision of the National Supercomputing Centre: to build a network of expert partnerships aimed at supporting science, research, and innovation in Slovakia, creating opportunities for knowledge and technology transfer, and strengthening the competitiveness of Slovak research institutions within the European research area. 

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Recording of the Webinar: Digital Forensics in the Era of Big Data 

Recording of the Webinar: Digital Forensics in the Era of Big Data 


On May 5, 2025, a professional webinar titled Digital Forensics in the Era of Big Data was held. The event was organized by the National Competence Centre for High-Performance Computing in Slovakia, in cooperation with competence centres in Austria and the Czech Republic. The strong international interest was reflected in the participation of 60 attendees from more than 25 countries around the world, including representatives from academia, public institutions, and industry partners.

The webinar focused on how high-performance computing (HPC) supports addressing emerging challenges in the field of digital forensics, particularly in processing and analyzing large datasets resulting from cyber incidents. Participants had the opportunity to attend a lecture by Dr. Mazhar Malik from the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), an expert in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and digital forensics. Dr. Malik serves as Deputy Director and Head of the Intelligent Systems Group at the School of Computing and Creative Technologies, and brings extensive experience in both research and the practical application of modern technologies in data security. In his lecture, he shared specific examples of how HPC is used in forensic analysis across both the industrial and public sectors, demonstrating how computational tools accelerate threat identification and improve the efficiency of incident investigations.

The discussion also focused on the broader context of digital forensics in an era of rapidly growing data volumes and the need for real-time processing. The topic particularly resonated with experts involved in big data analysis, the development of analytical tools, and the protection of information systems. At the same time, the webinar provided a platform for the exchange of practical experiences among representatives from various sectors.

If you were unable to attend the event, a recording of the webinar is available online. We especially recommend it to those interested in the intersection of computing technology with cybersecurity, analytics, and digital investigation.

We thank all participants for their active involvement and look forward to future professional events that support the advancement of cutting-edge research and technologies both in Slovakia and on the international stage.

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Webinar: The Use of HPC at the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute

Webinar: The Use of HPC at the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute

We invite you to an online lecture – The Use of HPC at the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute, led by Mgr. Mária Derková, PhD. from the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute.

Since 2021, SHMÚ has been using the high-performance computing system NEC-LX to support its operations. The main tool for numerical weather prediction, which is run operationally on this HPC system, is the ALADIN model. We will present its various configurations and their use not only for weather forecasting purposes. Other computational systems are also operated on the HPC infrastructure, including climatological and hydrological models, as well as models for air quality analysis and forecasting—many of which rely on input from the ALADIN model. HPC also facilitates the processing of large-volume data and measurements from radars, satellites, and similar sources. The presentation will also touch on future possibilities for HPC use at SHMÚ, such as nowcasting, ensemble forecasting, and (potentially) AI/ML techniques. 

Speaker Mgr. Mária Derková, PhD., Slovak hydrometeorological institute
Date: 27 May, 2025, 10:00 CEST
Venue: online
Registration

Join us for the talk: The Use of HPC at the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute

Registered participants will receive an invitation to the MS Teams meeting a few days before the event.

Central European Working Group in Slovenia 19 May - On May 19, 2025, we met with representatives of National Competence Centres for High-Performance Computing (HPC) from Central European countries. The in-person meeting of the Central European Working Group, held in Slovenia, provided us with an exceptional opportunity to exchange experiences, strengthen regional cooperation, and discuss the shared challenges and opportunities we face within the EuroCC project. We built professional relationships and engaged in constructive discussions with representatives from neighboring countries that, like Slovakia, are running their national HPC competence centres and working on their continuous development. Such meetings play an important role in shaping common approaches, identifying synergies, and sharing best practices in delivering services to users—whether they are research institutions, the public sector, or businesses.
What Is Artificial Intelligence Capable of Today? Watch the Recording of the Webinar "Training Machines to Detect Any Object" 16 May - Dňa 13. mája 2025 sa uskutočnil odborný webinár s názvom Trénovanie strojov na detekciu ľubovoľného objektu, ktorý pripravil RNDr. Andrej Lúčny, PhD. z Fakulty matematiky, fyziky a informatiky Univerzity Komenského v Bratislave. Prednáška bola zameraná na aktuálne výzvy a riešenia v oblasti strojového videnia a umelej inteligencie, pričom sa venovala najmä schopnosti systémov rozpoznávať objekty bez nutnosti ich predchádzajúcej kategorizácie.
HPC and Artificial Intelligence: Joining Forces for the Future of Technology 15 May - V utorok 14. mája 2025 sme sa zúčastnili podujatia PyData Slovakia & Bratislava Meetup #29, ktoré sa uskutočnilo v Bratislave. Stretnutie dátovej a technologickej komunity sa nieslo v duchu aktuálnych trendov v oblasti umelej inteligencie, s dôrazom na pochopenie fungovania veľkých jazykových modelov (Large Language Models – LLMs), ktoré dnes čoraz výraznejšie ovplyvňujú rôzne oblasti nášho života – od komunikácie, cez vzdelávanie až po riadenie procesov vo firmách a verejnej správe. Hlavným rečníkom večera bol Radovan Kavický, prezident a hlavný dátový vedec v GapData Institute, ktorý svojou prednáškou s názvom "Under the Hood of LLM" pútavo predstavil, čo sa skrýva pod povrchom dnešných pokročilých jazykových modelov.
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Webinar: Teaching Machines to See Any Object

Webinar: Teaching Machines to See Any Object

We invite you to online lecture – Training Machines to Detect Any Object, led by RNDr. Andrej Lúčny, PhD. from the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics at Comenius University in Bratislava.

Modern artificial intelligence models today enable robots to recognize objects from predefined categories. However, the challenge remains the ability to perceive any object as an independent entity. A major breakthrough in this area came with visual transformers, which, since 2020, have made it possible to infer the position of an object as a byproduct of the image classification process.

Speaker RNDr. Andrej Lúčny, PhD., Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University in Bratislava
Date: 13 May, 2025, 10:00 CEST
Venue: online
Registration

Join us for the talk: Teaching Machines to See Any Object

Registered participants will receive an invitation to the MS Teams meeting a few days before the event.

The lecture will present:

  • Využitie modelu DINO (2021), trénovaného bez anotácií, na navádzanie pozornosti humanoidného robota.
  • Zlepšenie segmentácie obrazu prostredníctvom modelu CUTLER (2023) a metódy MaskCut, založenej na optimalizačnej úlohe NCut.
  • New approaches to more efficient generation of fine masks using neural network learning.

The lecture is intended for researchers, professionals, students, and all those interested in artificial intelligence, computer vision, and robotics.

Central European Working Group in Slovenia 19 May - On May 19, 2025, we met with representatives of National Competence Centres for High-Performance Computing (HPC) from Central European countries. The in-person meeting of the Central European Working Group, held in Slovenia, provided us with an exceptional opportunity to exchange experiences, strengthen regional cooperation, and discuss the shared challenges and opportunities we face within the EuroCC project. We built professional relationships and engaged in constructive discussions with representatives from neighboring countries that, like Slovakia, are running their national HPC competence centres and working on their continuous development. Such meetings play an important role in shaping common approaches, identifying synergies, and sharing best practices in delivering services to users—whether they are research institutions, the public sector, or businesses.
What Is Artificial Intelligence Capable of Today? Watch the Recording of the Webinar "Training Machines to Detect Any Object" 16 May - Dňa 13. mája 2025 sa uskutočnil odborný webinár s názvom Trénovanie strojov na detekciu ľubovoľného objektu, ktorý pripravil RNDr. Andrej Lúčny, PhD. z Fakulty matematiky, fyziky a informatiky Univerzity Komenského v Bratislave. Prednáška bola zameraná na aktuálne výzvy a riešenia v oblasti strojového videnia a umelej inteligencie, pričom sa venovala najmä schopnosti systémov rozpoznávať objekty bez nutnosti ich predchádzajúcej kategorizácie.
HPC and Artificial Intelligence: Joining Forces for the Future of Technology 15 May - V utorok 14. mája 2025 sme sa zúčastnili podujatia PyData Slovakia & Bratislava Meetup #29, ktoré sa uskutočnilo v Bratislave. Stretnutie dátovej a technologickej komunity sa nieslo v duchu aktuálnych trendov v oblasti umelej inteligencie, s dôrazom na pochopenie fungovania veľkých jazykových modelov (Large Language Models – LLMs), ktoré dnes čoraz výraznejšie ovplyvňujú rôzne oblasti nášho života – od komunikácie, cez vzdelávanie až po riadenie procesov vo firmách a verejnej správe. Hlavným rečníkom večera bol Radovan Kavický, prezident a hlavný dátový vedec v GapData Institute, ktorý svojou prednáškou s názvom "Under the Hood of LLM" pútavo predstavil, čo sa skrýva pod povrchom dnešných pokročilých jazykových modelov.
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We Invite You to the Local Training for Entrepreneurs: Artificial Intelligence in Business

We Invite You to the Local Training for Entrepreneurs: Artificial Intelligence in Business


Pozývame Vás na Lokálny tréning pre podnikateľov na tému „Umelá inteligencia v podnikaní – trendy, nástroje a praktické využitie“. Podujatie sa uskutoční 20. mája 2025 od 9:00 na pôde Univerzity Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre, Tr. A. Hlinku 1, v prednáškovej miestnosti P2. Umelá inteligencia (AI) prestáva byť výsadou veľkých korporácií a čoraz viac sa dostáva do bežného podnikania. Moderné nástroje AI umožňujú aj malým a stredným podnikom optimalizovať procesy, šetriť náklady, zvyšovať efektivitu a vytvárať nové obchodné príležitosti.

Na podujatí vám odborníci z viacerých inštitúcií, vrátane Národného superpočítačového centra, ukážu, ako umelá inteligencia a špičkové technológie dokážu reálne pomáhať firmám v rôznych oblastiach.

During the training, you will learn:

  • What are the latest trends in the field of artificial intelligence.
  • How generative AI can simplify business processes.
  • How companies can save time, money, and human resources with supercomputing technologies.
  • How to practically use AI tools for the visualization of production processes and the creation of digital twins.
  • How to apply AI solutions in everyday business practice.

Training Program:

  • Welcome and Introduction of the BrAIn Project – prof. Ing. Zoltán Balogh, PhD., UKF Nitra a Andrej Gero, PROUNION a.s.
  • Generative Artificial Intelligence in Practice: Opportunities, Benefits, Differences – doc. Mgr. Ľubomír Benko, PhD., UKF Nitra
  • Optimization of Internal Company Processes Using AI – Mgr. Dominik Halvoník, PhD., UKF Nitra
  • A Supercomputer Saves Companies Time, Money, and Human Resources – Ing. Lucia Malíčková, PhD., Národné superpočítačové centrum
  • Using AI Tools for the Visualization of Production Processes and the Creation of Digital Twins – Miloš Lukáč, PROUNION a.s.
  • Using AI Tools in Everyday Business Practice – Andrej Gero, PROUNION a.s.

The training will also include:

  • Practical demonstrations of AI tools and supercomputing solutions
  • Discussion with experts and networking
  • Možnosť zapojiť sa do ďalších aktivít v rámci medzinárodného projektu BrAIn
    (funded by the Interreg Danube program, which supports increasing the competitiveness of SMEs in the Danube region)

Registration:

Účasť na tréningu je bezplatná, ale je potrebné sa registrovať do 15. mája 2025 prostredníctvom online registration form.