Projects / Programmes
PARALLEL AND DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS
January 1, 2009
- December 31, 2013
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 2.07.00 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Computer science and informatics |
|
| 2.08.00 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Telecommunications |
|
| 1.07.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Computer intensive methods and applications |
|
| 3.06.00 |
Medical sciences |
Cardiovascular system |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| P175 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Informatics, systems theory |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 2.02 |
Engineering and Technology |
Electrical engineering, Electronic engineering, Information engineering |
parallel computers, distributed systems, computer networks, clusters, algorithms, autonomic and grid computing, information systems, formal methods, process algebra, security protocols, trust management, computer simulations, biomedical informatics, bio-measurements
Researchers (27)
Organisations (3)
Abstract
Further increasing in computer performances and pooling of existing computing resources is possible with parallel and distributed work. Current directions in the development of information technologies lean significantly on the interconnection of computers in networks and clusters that already, and will even more in the future, incorporate the autonomous computing. Among other this term means that connected computers cooperate on a dynamic, reliable and safe manner. The proposed research will be focused in the design and implementation of new and efficient methods for communication and distributed computing with data acquisition and storing. Distributed protocols will be devised and tested with formal methods. Parallel algorithms, communication topologies and reliable safe communications will be investigated. Beside computer scientists, researchers from medicine, telecommunications and industry are cooperating in our group. We plane to implement various applications of parallel and distributed systems in computationally demanding computer simulations, e-business and distance learning.
Significance for science
The research program contributes new fundamental theoretical results in the field of parallel and distributed processing, while we investigate "scientific computing", i.e. support science with high performance computers. The research is directed into parallel algorithms, methods for their development and inter-processor communication. New theoretic findings have been already achieved and published, e.g. development and implementation of meshless numerical methods for parallel solution of PDEs, methods for the moving objects' dynamics analysis on a scene, applications in the area of bioinformatics and medicine, etc. New theoretical results are expected particularly in the development of new parallel algorithms and in the analysis of computational and communication complexities. We develop new methods for more efficient modeling, standardization and application of distributed systems. Research of protocols in distributed discrete systems contributes to the integration and standardization and thereby significantly influences the research of new information services. Theoretical solutions and procedures will be conceived in a way facilitating their wide application. Immediately applicable results of global interest are expected in the fields requiring computationally intensive numerical methods for the solving of PDEs, computer simulations and combinatorial optimizations (the problems of optimal distribution and replication, the integer polynomial minimax problem, etc.). The methods and procedures are practically tested on our computer cluster Sokoli, on the PlantLab network(in which we participate), EU computing cluster Grid5000 (in the scope of COST-ComplexHPC project) and on parallel computers of our academic (Melbourne, Grenoble, Salzburg) and industrial (Turboinstitut, Ljubljana, Waegener, Belgium) partners with which we run two bigger applied projects for the optimization of energy consumption in HPC, and measurements of the impact of cryo-therapy on patients. We are publishing the obtained results in prominent international journals. To facilitate immediate application of the knowledge, we cooperate with researchers from the medical area, with whom we employ new approaches in parallel processing and computer simulation for more personalized, and consequently more optimal treatment of patients.
Significance for the country
Immediate importance of distributed systems research is in the fact that they represent a basis for the development of Slovenia, as it facilitates for various applications better access to large data sets and network resources. Distributed systems also increase the benefit of the past investments into the network infrastructure. With its advanced information-communication infrastructure, Slovenia has good chances that through research and development work, it becomes an important player in the field. The applicability of our past research in the field is evident from the overview of the main trends in the development of computing and ICT. Internet is becoming the most important media, also in industrial area, and computer industry is becoming one of the most important industrial branches. We have recognized before these trends in which direction the development will extend. Five years ago, the members of our group cooperated in the establishing of an inter-institutional test GRID and developed an environment and example applications immediately useful for smaller enterprises, which could thereby improve the exploitation of their ICT resources. We develop various devices and modules for the integration of data sources, sensor networks and video information processing. We contribute to the development of network computing and to economic energy consumption and help to enable the implementation of projects with high added value, which have to be often supported by HPC simulations. With the colleagues from medicine we develop and test new methods for more efficient treatment and prevention of dangerous diseases, particularly in the field of neurology and cardiology. We are improving devices for the measurement of bio-signals, indispensable for the development of new diagnostic methods. The acquired knowledge will be applied for example on the area of e-medicine and efficient power consumption. Beside the mentioned impact, our research has also indirect importance for the Slovenian development and enforcement. Research results are promptly presented in workshops, scientific conferences and exhibitions. The main results are published in the principal journals of our research field. This represents Slovenia as a country significantly contributing to the knowledge of the mankind. We participate also in international projects and in the organization of international conferences and summer schools. We see the significant indirect importance also in the introduction of new study areas at the University of Ljubljana from which the new members of our program group are originating. Research work in our group will contribute to better quality of study programs in the field. Parallel and distributed computing, on which our research is focused, is a long-term technological need of the computation-information sphere of governmental institutions and industry. Through new hypotheses, one continuously identifies new problems requiring research. It is necessary to follow the fast development of ICT, for otherwise we cannot competently participate in the research and development. The development of computer and network technologies stimulates also the technological and professional development in other fields. In the field of computer simulations, we expect to be able to conduct computationally intensive simulations of natural and information-technological phenomena, which cannot be investigated just through experiments. For many practically important, but computationally very demanding problems, we develop new parallel or distributed procedures based on modern methods such as probabilistic, approximate or bio-inspired methods, and with this contribute to the development of computer science. We contribute to higher competitiveness of our industry and to new understanding and improvements of medical diagnostics.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
