In Udine, new super calculator dedicated to artificial intelligence

It will be built in the Ancona hydroelectric power plant, in Udine, thanks to the agreement between the University and CAFC

Cafcthe largest regional manager of the integrated water service, will create a technological infrastructure in the “Ancona hydroelectric power station”, in Udine, which it owns, which will host and power a new super calculator of the Friulian University dedicated to artificial intelligence with clean and renewable energy.

The power plant is located near the scientific center of the University, in via delle Scienze, and uses the water from the nearby Ledra canal to produce electricity. The innovative computing centre, the only one of its kind in Friuli Venezia Giulia, it will be ready in about three months.

Thanks to the computer center, rare diseases will be studied

It will be at the service of scientific research, the production system, but also local public bodies. In particular, it will be employed in two projects on the application of advanced machine learning techniques to facilitate the diagnosis of rare diseasesfinanced by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region.

The University of Udine, the Central Friuli University Health Authority (Asufc), the Area Science Park and the International School of Advanced Studies (Sissa) will work on the two research projects.. The super computer has a value of approximately one million 200 thousand euros and was purchased by the Friulian University thanks to regional funding for the two projects. The research group that will manage it is coordinated by Gian Luca Forestiprofessor of computer science in the Department of Mathematical, Informative and Physical Sciences.

Today the agreement between CAFC and the University of Udine was signed

The agreement that establishes the collaboration between Cafc And University of Udine to create the computer center was presented today at Palazzo Antonini-Maseri, seat of the rectorate. It was signed by the president of CAFC, Salvatore Benignoand the rector, Roberto Pinton. Also speaking were the general director of the central Friuli university health company (Asufc), Denis Caporale; and the professors Gian Luca Forestiscientific coordinator of the interdepartmental strategic plan on artificial intelligence, e Daniele Goiprofessor of environmental engineering and contact person for relations with CAFC.

Cafc will host the supercomputer on free loan

The Cafc will host the supercomputer on free loan for use, with a renewable six-year contract. The University will contribute approximately 30 percent to the infrastructure costs of the power plant. The estimated annual cost of the electricity supplied will be just over 33 thousand euros.

The advantages are linked, first of all, to the availability of “green” energy, constant and sufficient to power the server for artificial intelligence and the proximity to the laboratories of the scientific center makes it the optimal solution for the University.

Furthermore, the cost of the electricity supplied will have a price per kilowatt hour 40 percent lower than the market price thanks to the absence of system costs. Finally, security in energy supply: in the event of an absence of hydroelectric energy production, for example due to temporary water interruptions in the Ledra canal, the supply will still be guaranteed by the local distributor’s electricity network. For its part, CAFC will be able to count on the collaboration of the Friulian University for its projects on artificial intelligence.

Applications: research, production system, public bodies

In the first place the platform will be dedicated to the two research studies on the diagnosis of rare diseases. The projects are coordinated by the professor Maurizio Scarpaof the Central Friuli University Health Authority (Asufc) and, for the Friulian University, by Gian Luca Foresti.

The first concerns the “Support for the diagnosis of rare diseases through artificial intelligence“. Through the application of advanced digital technologies and the analysis of textual reports, we seek to use specific artificial intelligence techniques for the diagnosis of rare diseases.

The second is on “Automatic evaluation of diagnostic images using artificial intelligence“. Operators in the diagnostic field for rare diseases will use the super calculator to process, identify and classify any anomalies or lesions through the automatic evaluation of diagnostic data and images.

“To achieve this – explains Professor Foresti – we need computing systems capable of processing large quantities of data and at the same time carrying out complex convolutional calculationswhose operation is linked to the extensive use of many integrated graphics processing units”.

The University of Udine is also developing an interdepartmental project on artificial intelligence. The objective is to strengthen and enhance multidisciplinary collaborations, encourage collaborations between scientific research and industry and allow young researchers, graduate students and teachers to face the challenges posed by artificial intelligence.

The technological structure

Located inside the Ancona power stationthe structure for the super computer will have a dimension of approximately 4 meters wide, 5.5 long and 2.7 high. It will be equipped with independent access and an independent air conditioning system.

THE PROTAGONISTS

“Thanks to the CAFC and the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region – he explained Roberto Pinton – the University of Udine will implement a new sophisticated and cutting-edge research facilitythe centerpiece of which will be a super calculator powered by renewable energy. This agreement is a model of synergy between different actors fundamentals of society, whose common effort is at the service of teachers, students and the local production system and, in this case, with important repercussions on the protection of human health” concluded the rector.

“From the need expressed by the University of Udine to create a new computing center for artificial intelligence, CAFC – said the president Salvatore Benigno – he immediately identified the “Centrale Ancona” plant as the ideal site. It is, in fact, capable of provide a constant quantity of energy from renewable sources sufficient to power the computer centre, offering a lower cost than market prices”.

“From here the collaboration between the Cafc and the University was born, sanctioned by an agreement that defines the methods of construction and management of the new computer center for the use of the green energy produced by Cafc. This – according to Benigno – represents a concrete example of effective collaboration between local actors both committed to the field of environmental sustainability and with particular attention to the creation of value for the territory. Thanks to this partnership, our company will also be able to take advantage of the new application opportunities introduced by artificial intelligence in the field of integrated water service, improving the efficiency and sustainability of its services”.

The director general of the ASufc, Denis Caporale, underlined «the importance of the agreement because – he said – it consolidates our continuous, stable, long-lasting collaboration with the University of Udine and other local bodies. With the CAFC there is also a territorial sharing since we both cover the same territory with our activities which includes 134 Municipalities. The project with artificial intelligence, which also involves Sissa and the Area Science Park, is the bet of the future. This partnership, which is based on the Regional Rare Diseases Coordination Center of the Asufc directed by professor Maurizio Scarpawill bring very important results for the entire regional healthcare system.”

For the professor Gian Luca Foresti “this collaboration for the joint creation and maintenance of an innovative and, unique in Friuli Venezia Giuliacomputing infrastructure for methods based on machine and deep learning, lays the foundations for a virtuous model in which the territory and the University collaborate to achieve high-level scientific and research objectives which will bring significant consequences for the productive fabric, the economic world, the healthcare networks and the civil world which are fundamental for the sustainable and long-lasting development of the regional territory” .

According to the professor Daniele Goiof the Polytechnic Department of Engineering and Architecture, “the agreement also derives from a continuous and decades-long collaboration between CAFC and the University. It is the first time at a national level that a computer center for artificial intelligence is powered by green energy“.