Spring 2018 Program

This is the programme of the Sitola seminar in spring 2018. Presentations for the current semester are available here.

• 21.2.2018
  RNDr. Tomáš Rebok, Ph.D.
  ElasticSearch, Hadoop/Spark and Friends: Which data processing framework to use?
  Abstract: Over the past years, several frameworks such as ElasticSearch and Apache Hadoop/Spark have been introduced to ease the task of big data processing and analysis. During the talk, we will overview the basic characteristics, features and issues of the most widely-used massive data processing frameworks available, and outline the suitable use-cases they could be used for. The talk will also introduce the data processing platforms being developed in several projects running at ÚVT MU, which one can also use for their data processing tasks.
  
  
• 28.2.2018
  Panel about the (near) future of Sitola
  Panelists: Jiří Filipovič, Jan Fousek, Aleš Křenek, Miloš Liška, Janka Pazúriková, Tomáš Raček, Tomáš Rebok, Lukáš Ručka, Michal Zima
  
  
• 7.3.2018
  Mgr. Michal Zima
  Exchanging cryptocurrencies in decentralised settings
  Abstract: One of the many challenges that there are in the cryptocurrency ecosystem is decentralised exchange of cryptocurrencies. Inclusiveness, security, privacy—those are just examples of properties that a platform for decentralised exchanging of them migth offer. In the talk, we will go through the specifics of this challenge and cover how we approach them in Coincer, our implementation of such a platform, offering lessons on decentralising its components.
  
  
• 14.3.2018
  prof. Ing. Pavel Zezula, CSc.
  Similarity searching for database applications
  Abstract: Though searching is already the most frequently used application of information technology today, similarity approach to searching is increasingly playing more and more important role in construction of new search engines. In the last twenty years, the technology has matured and many centralized, distributed, and even peer-to-peer architectures have been proposed. However, the use of similarity searching in numerous potential applications is still a challenge. In the talk, four research directions in developing similarity search applications at Masaryk University DISA laboratory are to be discussed. First, we concentrate on accelerating large-scale face recognition applications and continue with generic image annotation task for retrieval purposes. In the second half, we focus on data stream processing applications and finish the talk with the ambition topic of content-based retrieval in human motion-capture data. Applications will be illustrated by online prototype implementations.
  
  
• 21.3.2018
  Canceled
  
  
• 28.3.2018
  RNDr. David Šafránek, Ph.D.
  Parameter synthesis by formal methods
  Abstract: We will present a method for parameter synthesis in parametrised dynamical systems from temporal specifications. The method works with a dynamical system represented in terms of a finite-state transition system with parametrised transition relation. Technically, the method is based on model checking algorithms adapted to such kind of transition systems. Depending on a particular class of systems, the underlying algorithms can gain advantages from efficient symbolic representations of sets of parameter valuations. We will show several examples of such systems and respective representations. To demonstrate the method, we will describe applications to models representing dynamics of biological systems with complex non-linear behaviour. Additionally, we will briefly discuss an extension of the parameter synthesis method that allows to address the problem of bifurcation analysis (dramatic changes of systems behaviour with respect to small changes in parameter values).
  
  
• 4.4.2018
  Vinh Quang Dang, Ph.D.
  Enhanced scheduling for real-time traffic control
  Abstract: Traffic signal control in road networks is a practical problem which has been widely paid attention. In this talk, I will discuss an approach for the traffic signal control problem which is modeled as a scheduling problem. The proposed approach is based on a forward dynamic programming search. The goal is to construct a traffic control sequence for each intersection and minimize the total cumulative delay of all vehicles in a traffic network. We use SUMO simulator to demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach on a grid network in comparison with the Surtrac system.
  
  
• 11.4.2018
  Mgr. Jiří Marek
  Canceled
  
  
• 18.4.2018
  RNDr. Tomáš Raček
  Fitting SAXS curve to the ensemble of conformations
  Abstract: Protein structure determination plays a crucial role in understanding many biochemical phenomena. By combining results from multiple (experimental) sources like NMR, SAXS or MD, models of high quality can be obtained. In this talk, we describe several methods used for fitting SAXS curves (including our own). Further, we discuss the way of evaluating performance of these approaches and tackle the issue of comparing weighted ensembles of conformations. Even though the application domain lies in the field of structural biology, in the presentation we focus on computer-science aspects and difficulties (or even dead ends) we encountered during our work.
  
  
• 25.4.2018
  RNDr. Pavel Troubil, Ph.D.
  Tactical planning for metals
  Abstract: Metals producing companies know orders from their customer for a few weeks ahead. They need to plan and schedule production to fulfill the orders, and also to prepare for orders which are still to come. Because whole supply chain from raw materials to finished good takes several weeks and customers require a faster response, safety stocks need to be maintained for different types of semi-finished and finished material. The capacity of resources is the greatest constraint, often together with requirements specific for metals production.
  I will explain basics of the metals production and the planning and scheduling problem. Then I will move to the explanation of a robust iterative algorithm, which creates a very good solution from an empty plan in thousands of small steps.
  If time allows and audience is interested, a brief presentation may follow on similarities and differences I see between research in industry and academia.
  
  
• 2.5.2018
  doc. RNDr. Petr Holub, Ph.D.
  What does it take to coordinate IT of an international research infrastructure? Experiences from BBMRI-ERIC
  Abstract: European research infrastructures are complex interdisciplinary organizations where IT plays a fundamental roles: from research to practical implementation of delivered services. This talk will discuss what does it entail to coordinate IT of these infrastructures in a complex federated setup of BBMRI-ERIC, biomedical research infrastructure focusing on biobanking and biomolecular resources. The talk will also briefly mention challenges we are facing from the computer science perspective, which offer possible topics for collaboration for Masaryk University.
  
  
• 9.5.2018
  Mgr. Lukáš Ručka
  Myths & facts about Method of Manufactured Solutions after the visit at INRIA
  Abstract: The talk introduces the audience the principles of Method of Manufactured Solutions (MMS), that is used to verify numeric code. Afterward, the specific aspects of MMS for modeling soft tissues and its pitfalls are presented. The talk is concluded with a brief window on the team behind the current state-of-the-art SOFA framework (soft tissue simulations), and the environment of Strasbourg branch of INRIA, motivated by the recent experience.
  
  
• 16.5.2018
  Dies Academicus (no presentation)
  
  
• 23.5.2018
  Meeting of academic community (no presentation)
  
  
• Examination period 24.5. – 9.7.2018
  Meetings devoted to state exam training below are scheduled mostly. State exam trainings are in Czech. More days can be added if needed by students.
  
  
• 30.5.2018
  Mgr. Michal Zima
  P2P Cryptocurrency exchange and blockchain size reduction (thesis defense rehearsal)
  Rise of cryptocurrencies and the underlying blockchain system in the past decade brought a new approach to digital money and building of decentralised consensus. We identify two long-term challenges in this area: centralisation of points of exchange of various cryptocurrencies and unbounded blockchain size growth. While the former limits the decentralised cryptocurrency ecosystem to several points of failure (evidenced by countless thefts from poorly secured exchange services), the latter might lead to weakening of peer-to-peer cryptocurrency networks due to a decline of nodes supporting it as requirements for resources rise. This Ph.D. thesis proposal elaborates on possible approaches to these challenges. A P2P system is proposed for trustless exchange of cryptocurrencies without intermediaries. Further, to make blockchain size growth sustainable, novel approaches to limit it with an upper bound are discussed.
  
  
• 13.6.2018
  State exam training
  Jana Szabadošová: Bezpečnostní analýza komunikace v energetických sítích
  Vedoucí: Eva Hladká
  Oponent: Tomáš Pitner

  15:00 SitSem planning
  

• 20.6.2018
  State exam training
  Júlia Sabanošová: Natural neighbour interpolation of image warping field
  Vedoucí: Lukáš Ručka
  Oponent: Jan Fousek

  Martin Piatka: Akcelerace dekódování videa pro nástroj UltraGrid
  Vedoucí: Miloš Liška
  Oponent: Martin Pulec
  
  

Contact: Hana Rudová