At the “Revolutionising Agriculture with HPC and AI: Real-World Applications” conference, the AIMHiGH project, coordinated by DigitalSmart, was presented as part of the HPC Fortissimo initiative under the Horizon 2020 FF4EuroHPC program. The project, titled “AI/ML Enabled by HPC for Edge Camera Devices for the Next Generation Hen Farms,” brought cutting-edge HPC and AI/ML technologies to the poultry farming sector. Key achievements included real-time monitoring and data-driven insights through AI-powered edge cameras that continuously surveilled poultry, detecting early signs of illness and abnormal behavior. This innovation allowed farmers to intervene promptly, improving animal welfare, reducing losses, and enhancing productivity.
S. Cakic presented the project AIMHiGH that utilised HPC and AI for computer vision in smart agriculture
Additionally, the AI models developed during the project provided advanced solutions for early disease detection, resource optimization, and automation, leading to more sustainable and efficient farming practices. The system reduced manual supervision needs, cut operational costs, and optimized feed and water usage based on real-time data. The technology’s scalability and flexibility made it accessible to both large and small farms. Collaboration with partners like DunavNET, the University of Donja Gorica, and Montenegrin companies Meso-promet Franca and Radinović ensured practical relevance, aligning the project with Montenegro’s Smart Specialisation Strategy while supporting innovation and local economic growth in the poultry sector.
Presenting HPC and deep learning approach to the problemDiscussing the experiment results and prospects of the future wok
AIFusion! Apply for a course on artificial intelligence (AI) in agriculture, medicine and energy. HPC4S3ME team mebers will actively participate in training and workshop sessions. The training is carried out in the context of NCC Montenegro and EUROCC with the financial support of the Innovation Fund of Montenegro. We continue last year’s success! This is an activity supported by the Innovation Fund of Montenegro.
Would you like to explore the transformative power of HPC and Artificial Intelligence in agriculture and learn about real-case application?
Join the webinar “Revolutionising Agriculture with HPC and AI: Real-World Applications on Tuesday, 24 September, 14:00-15:00 CET.
More info & registration ▶ https://www.sling.si/en/news/ncc-sling-webinar-revolutionising-agriculture-with-hpc-and-ai-real-world-applications/
HPC4S3ME team members will participate in the webinar and also present their experiences in developing computer vision solutions for precision farming.
Our young researchers Ms. Zoja Scekic and Ms Tamara Pavlovic are wrapping up their master theses submission and the defence will be scheduled for October. These efforts are mentored and driven though the HPC4S3ME project and represent the main outputs of the project. One of the theses focuses on the HPC/AI applications in energy sector, while the other is focused on applications in medicine, both sectorial priorities of Montenegrin S3 .
Two young female researchers to defend their MSc theses in October (image: ChatGPT)
The first master’s thesis examines the use of advanced deep learning models for day-ahead electricity price prediction, comparing their accuracy and efficiency with traditional methods. With the increasing integration of renewable energy and the complexity of electricity markets, accurate forecasting is essential. The research includes four case studies using different techniques: Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), and hybrid CNN-LSTM models. Despite promising results, limitations regarding data quality, model complexity, and computational demands are acknowledged. The study highlights the need for further optimization and broader applications across energy markets.
The second master’s thesis explores the use of AI in breast cancer diagnosis, utilizing computer vision algorithms to analyze mammographic images. By applying convolutional neural networks (CNNs) like ResNet152 and DenseNet121, the study demonstrates how AI can improve early detection, streamline screening processes, and support more personalized treatment approaches. With AUC scores surpassing 0.9, the models show strong potential for clinical use. The thesis also addresses ethical considerations, including patient safety and AI transparency, while emphasizing the need for further research in AI-driven medical diagnostics.
These efforts are mentored and driven though the HPC4S3ME project
Undergraduate and master’s students from the Faculty of Information Systems and Technologies had the opportunity, through the University of Donja Gorica, to attend the “Study in BIT” summer school in Beijing, as part of an international summer program at the prestigious Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT).
UDG students took part in the Summer School in Bejing
During the program, alongside more than 70 students from different parts of the world, they participated in courses on electronic engineering. They had the chance to explore modern technologies and learn about their application in various industries. The program included: practical work on software-defined radio and wireless communications, project-based learning in the field of emerging technologies, application of AI solutions in agriculture, lectures on cutting-edge technologies. In addition to academic activities, students engaged in a rich schedule of cultural activities and visited renowned Chinese companies Alibaba and Baidu.
“Study in BIT” was attended by over 70 participatns from all over the WorldMr. Arnad Lekic participated in seceral training workshopsStudents learned about AI applications, electronics, radio and wifi networks
The in-house HPC lab at UDG is getting an upgrade. Though cross-project collaboration with the support from EUROCC (NCC Montenegro) and financial support through AI-AGE project financed by the Ministry of education, science and innovation, UDG is procurring additional computing node and data storage that will be integrated with the equipment lab established through HPC4S3ME.
More in-house computing and storage power
The HPC Rack computing node is a high-performance 2U rack server designed for demanding computing tasks. It features dual processors, each with 24 cores running at 3.40 GHz, offering 48 threads and a 36 MB cache. The server comes equipped with 256GB DDR4 memory, expandable up to 4TB per processor, and includes 32 memory slots. Storage is provided by two 480GB SSD SATA 6G drives, with graphics powered by an NVIDIA L40 48GB card. It includes a Broadcom MR216i-a storage controller and network capabilities with 4x 1Gb Ethernet ports and 1 management port. The server also supports advanced security features like UEFI Secure Boot, Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2, and secure firmware updates, ensuring tamper-free operation and data protection. Additionally, it is equipped with dual 1600W power supplies and easy rack-mounting options for streamlined deployment in HPC environments.
The NAS storage system features a robust setup designed for high-capacity data management and sharing. It includes a 4-bay configuration, each supporting 12TB SATA 6Gb/s drives, allowing for a total storage capacity of up to 66TB. Powered by an Intel Celeron N5095 4-core processor with 8GB RAM, this system provides solid performance for various storage needs. With dual 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports and PCIe Gen 3 expansion capabilities, it ensures fast data transfer and network connectivity. Additionally, it supports up to 1,500 concurrent CIFS connections, making it suitable for medium to large-scale data environments.
We had a very successful meeting with the representatives from CFCU and Ministry of Education. This meeting was organized in a form of an On-the-spot-verification in accordance to the general agreement of the grant contract. The HPC4S3ME team gave a comprehensive presentation of the project objectives, current implementation status and KPIs, as well as the directions and plan for the remaining time of the project. The visit took place on 14 May 2024.
On-the-spot-verification visit at the UDGHPC4S3ME team hosted representatives from the CFCUWe went over the project implementation details
Our team presented the paper “Ovarian Cancer Detection Using Computer Vision” that addresses the use of AI and HPC tools for computer vision application in medicine. The paper was authored bz A. Abazovic, A. Lekic, I. Jovovic, S. Cakic and T. Popovic. This paper is a result of engaging young researchers and interns to embrace HPC and AI technology. The successful presentation of the paper is followed by its publication in the IEEE Xplore electronics library. Information about the conference is available at the conference website.
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ABSTRACT – This study explores the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning in the field of computer vision, specifically for the detection of ovarian cancer. A computer vision model was developed, utilizing two different AI models, YOLOv8 and YOLOv7, to evaluate their effectiveness in this medical context. YOLOv8, being the current state-of-the-art model in computer vision, was chosen for its advanced capabilities, while YOLOv7 was selected for its established usage and performance record. Comparative analysis revealed that YOLOv8 outperformed YOLOv7 with a significantly higher accuracy rate of approximately 0.9. This enhanced accuracy is crucial in medical applications, particularly for early cancer detection which can substantially improve patient outcomes. Additionally, the model was benchmarked against other machine learning models and existing computer vision approaches in ovarian cancer detection. While this model demonstrated superior accuracy compared to other machine learning techniques, it was observed that certain other computer vision models, leveraging more customized architectures and larger datasets, achieved marginally better results. These findings indicate potential areas for future improvement of implemented model, including the integration of more comprehensive datasets and the refinement of model architecture. Furthermore, the research proposes the incorporation of additional health parameters to enhance the model’s effectiveness and applicability in medical diagnostics.
Link to the paper at IEEE Xplore is available here.
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.
More information about the event and registration information can be seen at the NCC Montenegro website (link).
XXVIII international scientific and professional conference “Information technologies” was held from February 21 to 24, 2024 traditionally in Žabljak, organized by: University of Montenegro – Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Donja Gorica – Faculty of Information Systems and Technologies, IT Society Crna Gora, University of Belgrade – Faculty of Organizational Sciences, IEEE Association and IEEE Section for Serbia and Montenegro, with the full support of the company Čikom from Podgorica. Presentations of author’s works and sessions were realized live in the hotel “Gorske oči”, hotel “Žabljak”, but also online. The conference gathered around 200 national and international participants. Link to conference website: https://www.it.ac.me/en/
Authors from 20 countries took part in the conference: Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Spain, Slovakia, Ukraine, Estonia, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia and the Philippines. The number of submitted author’s works was 101, of which 67 were accepted and presented, which were reviewed and selected on the basis of the complete work. Topics from various fields are covered such as: image and audio signal processing, acyclic graphs, blockchain technology, information security, standardization, application of artificial intelligence in various fields, management of unmanned vessels, virtual trade and knowledge transfer.
Short video on HPC at IEEE 2024 conference
A special session was dedicated to the presentations of the EuroCC2 project – National Competence Centers for HPC: https://eurocc.udg.edu.me/, the presentation of the Montenegrin Academic Digital Innovation Hub, supported by the DigNEST project : https://dignest.me/#/ , then TRACEWINDU: https://www.tracewindu.eu/, FoodHUB – Center of excellence for digitization of risk assessment in the field of food safety and precise certification of the authenticity of pre-harvested products: https://foodhub .udg.edu.me/, HPC4S3ME: https://hpc4s3me.udg.edu.me/, AI-AGE: https://ai-age.udg.edu.me/, STECCI: https://steccihorizoneu. com/, FishEUTrust: https://fisheutrust.org/, Solar Katun: https://digitalsmart.me/innovation-fund-of-montenegro-solar-katun-project/, Enav: https://enav.ucg. ac.me and COMMECT: https://www.horizoneurope-commect.eu/ . Representatives of Fleka, Čikom and FiveG Group participated in the training.
Short video on IEEE IT2024
As part of the XXVIII scientific-professional conference, those present had the opportunity to participate in workshops, panels and trainings in the field of artificial intelligence, but also to hear the activities carried out by national competence centers in the field of high-performance computing from Cyprus, Slovenia, the Netherlands, Montenegro, Turkey , North Macedonia, Romania, participants in the EuroCC2 project. The project supports the development of innovative solutions by targeted participants in the private and public sector by providing support to interested end users in the use of HPC/HPDA/AI. Activities and innovative solutions based on the use of high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI) for applications in industrial domains defined by the Smart Specialization Strategy (2019-2024) for Montenegro were presented.
Traditionally, the conference was successfully completed for the twenty-eighth year in a row, and it fulfilled its goal by pointing out the importance of a multidisciplinary overview of current events and the networking of a large number of university professors and associates, experts and young researchers in the field of information and communication technologies.
