IT4Innovations is a research and development centre with strong international links, it is involved in all activities of  EuroHPC Joint Undertaking and in a number of prestigious international organisations (PRACE, ETP4HPC, EUDAT, BDVA, EOSC).

IT4Innovations is currently a National Centre of Competence for HPC, a member of the MaX and Space Centres of Excellence and a partner in more than 10 other international projects of Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe or Digital Europe, coordinating the EXA4MIND project. It also collaborates on the European Space Agency (ESA) project called AIOPEN (Platform Extensions with AI Capabilities).

The implementation of national projects financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of the Interior, the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic or the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic is also important. Some of the projects are carried out in the form of contract research with commercial entities.

TOP 5 IT4INnovations PROJEcTs

e-Infrastructure CZ

2023–2026

Project ID: LM2023054

Provider: Large Infrastructures for Research, Experimental Development and Innovation project

 e-INFRA CZ is a unique e-infrastructure for research, development, and innovationin the Czech Republic, which represents a fully transparent environment providingcomplex capacities and resources for scientific data transfer, storage, and process-ing to all entities focused on research, development, and innovation across sectors.

It creates a communication, information, storage, and computing platform for re-search, development, and innovation both at the national and international levels. Italso provides an extensive and comprehensive portfolio of ICT services for conduct-ing modern research, development and innovation.

The main components of e-INFRA CZ include:

→ high-performance national communication infrastructure,

→ national grid and cloud infrastructure,

→ most powerful and state-of-the-art supercomputing systems in the Czech Republic,

→ high-capacity data storage facilities.

Other tools and services, such as access control to ICT resources, tools to supportremote cooperation, and tools to ensure secure communication and data protec-tion, are also an essential part and an added value of this infrastructure, contribut-ing to its efficient and diverse use.

www.e-infra.cz

 

 

 

EXA4MIND

EXtreme Analytics for MINing Data

2023–2025

Project ID: 101092944

EXA4MIND project will build an Extreme Data platform which brings together data storage systems and powerful computing infrastructures by implementing novel automated data management and effective data staging. The project is driven by four application cases from molecular dynamics, advanced driver assistance systems, smart agri-viticulture and health and social Big Data. The EXA4MIND proposes innovative solutions to complex everyday data-processing problems and addresses critical challenges like data analytics, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence at scale; effectively democratising access to and enabling connectivity across EU supercomputing centres.

www.exa4mind.eu

 

 

EuroCC 2

National Competence Centres in the framework of EuroHPC Phase 2 

2023–2025 

Project ID: 101101903

The mission of EuroCC 2 is to continue the establishment of a network of National Competence Centres (NCC) in the most efficient way while continuing to address the differences in the maturity of HPC deployment in Europe. The main task of the overall activity is to support national centres in setting up their operational frameworks while accessing and making the most of the experience and expertise currently available at national and European levels. The main goal is to drive collaboration, and exchange of best practices and knowledge at the European level and to accelerate the improvement of national and thus European capabilities.

www.eurocc-czechia.cz

 

European Open Science Cloud Czech Republic

2023–2028

Project ID: CZ.02.01.01/00/22_004/0007682

The European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) is a European initiative focused on developing infrastructures supporting open science practices in research data management. It offers facilities for storing and sharing so-called FAIR research data –⁠ findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. The EOSC-CZ project is the implementation of the EOSC initiative in the Czech Republic, which aims to create a national node of this European initiative and promote good practice in research data management across scientific communities. Implementing National Data Infrastructures will create a common platform for sharing, managing, and accessing data and computing resources for research purposes. The NDI will support scientific and multidisciplinary research activities and include various scientific fields and disciplines.

More information here.

 

 

MAX

MAterials design at the eXascale

2023–2026

Project ID: 101093374

Materials simulations have become one of the most intensive and fast-growing domains for high-performance computing worldwide, with a recognized European leadership in developing and innovating the ecosystem of quantum simulation codes. MAX project will target these lighthouse codes to address the challenges and leverage the opportunities arising from future exascale and post-exascale architectures, and to offer powerful paths to discovery and innovation serving both scientific and industrial applications.

www.max-centre.eu

 

 

OTHER IT4INNOVATIONS PROJECTS

Creating a model for evaluating the impact of changes in the parameters of the tax-benefit system on the socio-economic situation of families with children in the Czech Republic
Creating a model for evaluating the impact of changes in the parameters of the tax-benefit system on the socio-economic situation of families with children in the Czech Republic

2021–2023

Project ID: TL05000184

Provider: TA CR

The project aims to create a comprehensive research report and software for the needs of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs based on an in-depth and comprehensive analysis of the position of Czech households according to the type of household, the number of children, and the absolute and relative income in the context of the tax-benefit system. The outputs of the in-depth analysis will serve as essential material for creating a model of the tax-benefit system implemented in software, of which the primary purpose will be to monitor and empirically evaluate the impact of legislative changes in current Czech family policy in the tax-benefit system on the socio-economic status of particular households and numbers of children.

CEET – Center of Energy and Environmental Technologies
CEET – Center of Energy and Environmental Technologies

2020–2022

Project ID: TK03020027

Grant Provider: TA CR

The main objective of the project was the development of a modular, mobile, robust, and scalable technology solution for the efficient conversion of alternative fuels, waste, and by products as alternative raw materials into usable chemicals and useful forms of energy, their storage, and efficient use, in accordance with the principles of a circular economy. The project was built on the research base of the National Center for Energy, integrated existing research capacities into the long-term strategic concept of CEET, and met the requirements of the State Energy Policy of the Czech Republic and the NAP. Without the unique merger and combination of the three logically linked research programmes, the desired synergy and rapid market feasibility would never have been achieved.

Development of Expert System for Automatic Evaluation of Pathologies from Eye Images
Development of Expert System for Automatic Evaluation of Pathologies from Eye Images

2020–2022

Project ID: FW2020151

Provider: TA CR

In compliance with the TREND programme, the main objective of the project was to increase the international competitiveness of the applicant Bonmedix Holding a.s., especially by penetrating markets in the EU and the USA with a newly developed service that will subsequently be certified as a medical device. The main objective was achieved through the development and subsequent clinical testing of the software prototype of an expert system for the automatic evaluation of pathologies from eye images in the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy. The expert system used a computer neural network and mathematical and statistical methods to demonstrate its ability to automatically evaluate pathologies on eye images at a similar quality to fully qualified medical staff, and this ability was then clinically validated on real data.

Research and development of a functional sample of a railway vehicle with the ability to collect data and software – a simulator with the ability to generate data for obstacle detection in simulated conditions
Research and development of a functional sample of a railway vehicle with the ability to collect data and software – a simulator with the ability to generate data for obstacle detection in simulated conditions

2020–2022

Project ID: FW01010274

Provider: TA CR

The project’s main objective was to develop a functional sample of a railway vehicle detecting obstacles in the driving profile using a set of HW sensors, a sophisticated architecture for data processing, and artificial intelligence tools for the final identification of obstacles and their interpretation for the locomotive driver. As a key support for developing and optimising the detection system, the project included developing a software simulator for virtualising railway conditions and implementing test rides in a laboratory environment.

National Centre for Energy
National Centre for Energy

2019–2022

Project ID: TN01000007

Grant Provider: TA CR

The National Centre for Energy (NCE) aimed to stimulate long-term cooperation among the leading research organisations and major application entities in the power industry. Consequently, unique infrastructures and know-how of expert teams of the existing research centres were shared by implementing joint applied research projects. The research agenda of the NCE was in line with the National RIS3 Strategy and focused on new technologies leading to the increased efficiency, safety, and reliability of existing energy units, the efficient deployment and operation of decentralised sources of energy, the use of alternative fuels to secure mineral resource independence and the energy self-sufficiency of the Czech Republic and the powering of grids safely and securely.

Energy system for grids
Energy system for grids

2019–2023

Project ID: TK02030039

Grant Provider: TA CR

The project aims to develop a new system solution for energy flow control in the energy platform of a Sophisticated Energy System (SEN) on the level of distribution networks to supply energy platforms of municipalities, towns, and microregions. The SEN will be supported by sophisticated control methods and prospective technologies to increase its security, reliability, raw material self-reliance, and energy self-sufficiency while maximising the exploitation of decentralised, particularly renewable sources of energy sources to ensure the readiness for a change in the energy system control concept after implementing the EU Winter Package, in compliance with the National Action Plan for Smart Grids and updated State Energy Conception.

Personalised Medicine – Diagnostics and Therapy
Personalised Medicine – Diagnostics and Therapy

2019–2022

Project ID: TN01000013

Provider: TACR

The PerMed Centre was focused on applied research in the diagnostics and therapy of rare and genetically determined diseases. The aim was to develop personalised diagnostic methods and drugs that would help specific groups of patients. The highly interdisciplinary approach combines medicine, chemistry, biology, genetics, and bioinformatics. All research activities included molecular target validation, biological chemistry, preclinical development, biomarker identification, and DNA analyses. The results of the PerMed Center were commercialised both by licensing as well as the establishment of spin-offs.

Optimization of the electrical distribu- tion system operating parameters using artificial intelligence (
Optimization of the electrical distribu- tion system operating parameters using artificial intelligence (

2019–2021

Project ID: TJ02000157

Provider: TAČR

The objective of the project is to create an optimisation system and a strategy for optimising the operation of the electrical distribution system (DS). The control optimisation system will consist of a program and an interface. The program will set various DS elements to optimise the DS operation in multiple ways (i.e., operation with minimal cost, with maximum reliability, etc.). Optimal DS configuration will be achieved, for example, by changing network topology or controlling local active and reactive power sources. The interface will allow the proposed program to be included in the existing dispatching control structures of the DS. The optimisation strategy will describe all the hardware and software innovations that need to be performed to maximise the DS management capabilities.

Contactless detector for partial dischar- ges activity in medium overhead voltage powerlines
Contactless detector for partial dischar- ges activity in medium overhead voltage powerlines

2019–2021

Project ID: TJ02000031

Provider: TAČR

The aim of this project is the development of an online insulation diagnostics tool for high-voltage overhead powerlines with covered conductors. A contactless sensor will be designed and constructed for test operation. This sensor will be used to record partial discharge patterns inside and on the surface of a covered conductor. An algorithm for automatic detection of partial discharge patterns in acquired signals will be created. Based on the presence of the partial discharge pattern in the acquired signal, the algorithm automatically evaluates the insulation state of the covered conductor. This goal will be met by the end of the project duration.