In the first programme «Creating Innovative Digital Solutions for HPC Challenges» organised by Riga Technical University (RTU), students develop user-friendly apps and websites, algorithms, development schemes, collect, aggregate and map large amounts of data and train artificial intelligence to offer prototypes of digital solutions for challenges of various Latvian companies and the Children's Clinical University Hospital. To help Latvian students gain high-level digital skills, the next challenge will be organised in the autumn.
Using artificial intelligence for image recognition, a team of students is developing a solution to assess the green infrastructure of urban areas at the invitation of «Rīgas Meži. Responding to a challenge from technology company «Accenture», another team is prototyping an educational innovation - adaptive learning content that will adapt in real time to a student's individual needs. Technology solutions could also improve the delivery of palliative care services to patients at the Children's Clinical University Hospital. The students' solution to the hospital's challenge is a user-friendly app that would provide information related to a patient's treatment and care, including data on the availability of medical equipment. By exploring the possibilities offered by computer vision, machine learning and supercomputing, the students also propose a conceptual solution to «Datamed's» challenge of digitising medical data. And, in their search for a solution to the challenge of technology company «Tet», the team is mapping data and training a computer vision solution to recognise and distinguish quality cable connections from poor quality ones, which will enable ever-improving service. The students demonstrate the value of data by developing an algorithm for forecasting the workforce to ensure delivery, at the invitation of the start-up «Bruntor». The algorithm is based on company data.
Companies have a positive view of student performance.
The first programme «Creating Innovative Digital Solutions for HPC Challenges» was mainly attended by students from RTU, University of Latvia (UL) and Riga Stradins University (RSU) from different study programmes. They learnt digital prototyping and design thinking methods, used industry-relevant digital tools and the RTU supercomputer. They worked closely with industry experts and mentors from different fields to develop solutions.
The programme is part of the ambitious project «Acquisition of high-level digital skills in Latvia in the field of high-performance computing» (No 2.3.1.1.i.0/1/22/I/CFLA/003), in which RTU, RSU and LU are developing and implementing 12 study modules in the field of high-performance computing. The project is funded by the EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility. It aims to increase the number of professionals in Latvia with high-level digital skills (DigComp levels 7-8) who can use technology to develop knowledge- and technology-intensive new products and services in different sectors, and to create synergies between higher education, science and industry that foster innovation with maximum commercialisation and export potential.
