Category: General

The goal of the event was a meeting of Slovak and foreign experts in the field of innovation, industry and industrial technologies, energy, transport and logistics, environment and education, as well as a presentation of scientific and innovative potential of Slovak technological companies.

The National competence centre for HPC. was also present at the International Innovation and Technology Fair SlovakiaTech Forum - EXPO 2021. At the exhibition, we introduced the participants to NCC for HPC, explaining what is a supercomputer and high-performance computing. We also introduced our services, which include the provision of consultations, mediation of partnerships, free IT courses and the provision of machine time. Through the questionnaire, we found out how Slovakia is doing with high-performance computing, what companies and institutions in Slovakia have experience with it, where they see obstacles and in which areas they need consultations.  

The National Competence Centre for High-Performance Computing was established thanks to the European project EuroCC project. which is implemented in Slovakia by the Center for Joint Activities of the Slovak Academy of Sciences.

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The primary goal of the survey is to map the usage of HPC and associated technologies and to identify the demand for these technologies and solutions among Slovak private companies, small and medium enterprises, academic research groups and in public administration. This information is crucial for developing strategies, goals and services for the future National competence centre activities. According to the OECD publication SME Entrepreneurship Policy in Slovak Republic“*   the SMEs are facing several barriers in their digital transformation, such as lack of knowledge and experience. The National competence centre enables the knowledge transfer and adoption of HPC, HPDA, AI and ML technologies, where the benefits for private companies include competitive advantage on the market, effective processes, ROI and cost savings.

„“Apart from these activities the National competence centre has an ambition to facilitate the collaboration between experts and end-users coming from various areas and sectors. This survey will help us to identify experts in specific application fields, such as processing big data, advanced simulations and machine learning/artificial intelligence technologies.”  the coordinator of the project, Lucia Demovičová, stated.

The survey will also provide information about the computational capacities and resources required at the moment and into the future in Slovakia. Actual local data from Slovak HPC users, including the potential future ones, will be valuable in planning the new high-performance systems and developing the national HPC infrastructure.

The NCC was established within the EuroCC project implemented by the Centre of Operations of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. As a primary contact point for users and all parties interested in HPC in Slovakia the NCC provides several services free of charge that might be interesting for scientific teams, but also the private sector and public administration. Education activities, consultancy and access to computational resources are among the portfolio of NCC services that are meant to support the innovation potential and competitiveness in Slovakia.

Mapping of the HPC environment

* OECD (2021), SME Entrepreneurship Policy in Slovak Republic, OECD Studies on SMEs and Entrepreneurship, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9097a251-en.

The access policy will be directed solely by the COO SAS. The new supercomputer will be accessible to academic groups, public sector organizations and also small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Information and further details concerning the procurement were published via the tenders electronic daily portal, a supplement of the Official Journal of the EU (30.7.2021) and the  Journal of the Office for Public Procurement (2.8.2021). After the 60 day period for the tender submissions and the subsequent evaluation the whole process will be reviewed by the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic and Office for Public procurement. The new supercomputer should be operational in the first half of the 2022.

The project National competence centre for HPC. (ITMS2014+ 311071AKF2) is financed through the Operational programme Integrated Infrastructure: OPII-2020/7/55-NP. One of the goals of this project is to support Slovak enterprises, especially the SMEs and to raise their innovation potential. This will be achieved by creating a platform for effective adoption of the HPC+ technologies, which is in alignment with the Slovak strategy for digital transformation. The EU Structural Funds will be used for procurement of a new HPC system, thus providing technical support and basis of the National competence centre.

In April 2021, the SIVVP project was successfully finished, thanks to which the first Slovak supercomputer Aurel was acquired and operated in 2012, as well as other computing clusters in Bratislava, Žilina, Košice and Banská Bystrica.

One of the mentioned changes is that the role of the institution that will serve as the first contact for those interested in HPC will be gradually taken over by the National Competence Center for HPC (NCC). In addition to services for the academic sector, it will also focus on cooperation with small and medium-sized enterprises, industrial companies and public administration institutions.

In recent months, the National Supercomputing Center (NSCC) has been established in Slovakia, which, as an association of the academic, private and public sectors, will form the hitherto missing and at the same time much-needed national vision and strategies for the development and support of HPC. The Slovak Renewal and Development Plan has already succeeded in pushing for funds for a new supercomputer, the construction of which is one of the goals of the NSCC in the coming years. In the magazine you will also find an interview with members of the NSCC board of directors Mgr. Lukáš Demovič, Phd. (SAS) and PhDr. Radoslav Repom (MIRRI).

You will also read about high-performance computing and weather forecasting at SHMÚ, popularization of HPC, applications in practice and pan-European HPC infrastructure.

Don't miss the news from the world of HPC in Slovakia and read the latest HPC FOUCS..

Organizátori z Národného kompetenčného centra pripravili tzv. backend aplikácie a umožnili účastníkom prístup k potrebným dátam priamo z klastra situovaného v Košiciach, kde si mohli sami spúšťat aj testovacie úlohy. HPC prostredie, výpočty a ich manažment pomocou nástroja SLURM sme priblížili na úvodnom webinári a 9. júla sa online hackathon mohol začať. Každý z dvoch tímov, ktoré sa aktívne zúčastnili, si zvolil iný prístup k vývoju: PWA (Progressive Web App) a Kotlin multiplatform. Obom tímom musíme uznať, že výborne uchopili projekt a výsledné riešenia a ich prezentácia sa nám veľmi páčili. Víťazná aplikácia by mala fungovať na zariadeniach s Androidom i iOS a dúfame, že po finálnych úpravách ju čoskoro budú môcť otestovať naši aj používatelia!

We also thank our partners and sponsors for media support and prizes. Big thank you to QuBit Academy, WebSupport, Cybersec.sk,  Learn2Code, Slovak Academy of Sciences and bart.sk!

This device was assembled in 1950 by Josef Kates to be exhibited at the Canadian National Exhibition. The first gaming device was up to 4 meters high, which is why it was never mass-produced. After the Canadian National Exhibition, no other piece was made again. Another computer adapted for playing a game was the Nimrod, which was introduced at the Festival of Britain in 1951. Nimrod and Bertie the Brain can be considered the founders of the world of video games in the form as we know it today. 

In the process of creating video games, an original idea is essential. At the beginning, it is important to know what type of game you want to create, whether it will be a sports game, action or logic game. The creator of the video game must have an idea of the story, the length of the game, the budget and the levels of complexity. An important step is the right choice of software that will make the work easier for developers. The longest-lasting phase in the creation of the game is the creation itself - designing the environment and individual characters. Creating a video game is a demanding and lengthy process, the most pleasant part of which is the publication of the game.

We often come across the opinion that video games have a negative impact on the players. A group of scientists under the expert guidance of Marc Palaus looked at it and Scientists have found out that video game players have better-developed areas of the brain which are responsible for concentration and spatial perception. Those who play video games regularly can better perceive the relationships between individual objects in space, and also fine motor skills improve.

It is also important to remember the risks involved that can strongly affect people's lives. Even though gambling is the most common form of addiction, one can also be addicted to video games. Scientists have found out, že ľudia náchylní na závislosť na videohrách majú spoločné zmeny v štruktúre mozgu – pozmenený je ich nervový systém odmeňovania. Ide o skupinu štruktúr, ktorá je zodpovedná za prijemný pocit po úspešnom dosiahnutí stanovených cieľov. Na základe týchto výskumov môžeme tvrdiť, že je možné predpovedať, kto má väčšiu pravdepodobnosť stať sa závislým na videohrách.

However, we must not forget the positives, which, in addition to better spatial perception and improved fine motor skills, also include the development of certain skills that people have a problem with. It is important to mention games which are intended specifically to help people after strokes. These support re-learning of certain skills and also help the rehabilitation process.

A specialised museum is available for all those interested in video games on the premises of the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava The computer museum exhibits the first computers, telephones and graphics, or older models of game consoles and controllers. Functional machines are also available for trying out!

Administrative issues were addressed by the Project Management Team and representatives from the Castiel working groups presented progress in their respective areas: competence mapping, training, twinning&mentoring, industrial interactions and business development and communication & outreach. An update from the EuroHPC JU was presented, as well. On the second day the participants learned more about the FF4EuroHPC open call.

Most importantly, the joint conference was an opportunity for all NCCs to present their progress in the first 9 months of the EuroCC project implementation, from their initial status to goals achieved and the future outlook.

Radoslav Repa, Director General of the Digital Agenda Section of MIRRI SR was acting as a moderator of the panel. The main topics were dealing with the pandemic in the context of digitization and utilization of the HPC and AI technologies, as well as quantum computers and blockchain technology in the digital economy. Seven speakers took part in an interesting exchange of ideas and perspectives:

• Ján Zuštiak (AgeVolt)
• Juraj Bárdy (Alistiq)
• Mário Lelovský (IT Association of Slovakia, Digital Coalition)
• Gabriel Galgóci (American Chamber of Commerce in Slovakia,  Centre of AI)
• Vladimír Bužek, (Slovak Academy of Sciences)
• Michal Géci (Impact Hub)
• Lukáš Demovič (Centre of Operations SAS)

The importance of HPC+ tools in science and various domains of industry was explained by L. Demovič during his introductory talk.Doteraz bolo veľmi často HPC alebo superpočítače vnímane ako doména vedcov, akademikov, „hračky“ na ktorých vedci robia základný výskum, ale čoraz viacej táto doména preniká do svetu priemyslu, malých a stredných podnikov…“ 

The activities of the EuroCC project and National Competence Centre for HPC in Slovakia were emphasized, particularly the support for SMEs and industry subjects in their efforts to adopt HPC solutions. Successful projects and outcomes of the FF4EUROHPC scheme have been cited as examples.

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We aim to deliver comprehensive information on the topic, from theoretical background, parallel algorithms implementation to effective deployment of applications and programs on the HPC environment.

The PRACE Spring school will also fucus on utilizing the AI/ML tools that are being progressively applied to real chemical problems, such as discovery of new chemical compounds and materials with specific properties.

The program comprises interesting lectures as well as practical hands-on sessions. Basic knowledge and background in theoretical chemistry or physics is a prerequisite.

The HERE , which is free of charge, is now OPEN until June 7, 2021 or until our capacities are full.

Training and skills development in HPC+ fields is one of the main areas the National competence centre and the EuroCC project focuses on. Currently, most of the HPC related courses are a part of Universities Master and PhD programme. Several courses are provided by the Computing Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences and occasionally training activities in collaboration with the PRACE project are organized (Summer of HPC, seasonal schools). Only a limited number of courses (Parallel programing, Software engineering, Linux administration ) are offered by private companies and while useful, they are not usually focused on HPC specifically.

In Slovakia, among the main problems we face are lack of qualified trainers, lack of dedicated training infrastructure and of course, insufficient promotion and awareness.

While it is clear that HPC is playing an increasingly important role not only in academia, but in private and public sectors as well, the NCC Slovakia puts effort into expanding training activities. New courses, such as Parallel programming in C, C++, R, Python HPDA, Nvidia CUDA, Profiling and Optimization, Neural Networks, Virtualisation were added to the portfolio, with more to come.

The NCC Slovakia realizes the importance of awareness creation and promotion of HPC and HPC+ solutions and attracting experienced trainers as well as trainees. Through cooperation with local Universities and the National Supercomputing Centre the NCC Slovakia hopes to develop more complex services in HPC training in the future.

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