NEWS

Supercomputers, a quantum computer, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, robot football and the search for new antiviral drugs. On Friday 25 September, IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center at VSB – Technical University of Ostrava, joined Researchers' Night and welcomed nearly 800 visitors in a single evening.

Researchers from IT4Innovations at VSB – Technical University of Ostrava (VSB-TUO) have presented a new approach to processing photographs of identity documents that combines artificial intelligence with a method based on line detection. The solution enables more accurate correction of perspective distortion in images, facilitating their further automated processing. The research findings have been published in the scientific journal Results in Engineering.

Newsletter IT4Innovations 4/2026 →

On Tuesday, 15 September 2026, Gong, Ostrava’s multifunctional venue, became a meeting point for the Czech AI community. The sold-out CERNA.AI Festival attracted 2,200 visitors and featured a programme with 100 speakers across seven stages, more than 20 workshops, expert panel discussions and an accompanying programme. IT4Innovations, together with the LUMI AI Factory, was one of the festival’s co-organisers.

An international team of researchers from Czech and Japanese universities, including Dominik Legut from IT4Innovations at VSB – Technical University of Ostrava, has shed light on what influences the deformation of transition metal carbides and nitrides at the atomic level. Valence electrons play a key role. Their number affects the movement of defects within the crystal structure and, consequently, the mechanical behaviour of the material. The research, published in the scientific journal Acta Materialia could help enable the targeted design of new materials and reduce the need to find suitable compositions through trial and error.

Jakub Homola, a PhD student at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (FEECS) at VSB – Technical University of Ostrava (VSB) and a researcher at the IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center, completed a high-profile internship at the US Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). While there, he even gained hands-on experience with the Aurora supercomputer, one of the world's most powerful supercomputers.

A team of scientists, including researchers from VSB – Technical University of Ostrava, has developed a new graphene ink for producing inexpensive and sensitive printed sensors. Researchers from IT4Innovations and the Materials-Envi Lab (MEL) at CEET, together with colleagues from CATRIN at Palacký University and Charles University, applied single-atom engineering to the development of the ink for the first time. By incorporating individual copper atoms into the material, they achieved highly sensitive detection of dopamine – a neurotransmitter involved in transmitting signals between nerve cells. The approach, presented in the journal Advanced Science, holds strong potential for applications in medical diagnostics. The research was also supported by the REFRESH project.

The HPCTRAIN project, with IT4Innovations as its partner, has launched its first call for professional internships in high-performance computing (HPC). The programme offers students, graduates, and early-career professionals the opportunity to gain valuable experience at leading European supercomputing centres, universities, and research organisations.

Ostrava, 1 September 2026 – Through IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center, the Czech Republic will gain access to LUMI-AI, a new European supercomputing infrastructure. LUMI-AI will offer approximately a tenfold increase in artificial intelligence performance and nearly double the traditional scientific computing performance of the current LUMI supercomputer. Serving researchers, companies, and startups, the new system will become a key pillar of Europe's AI development infrastructure. The Czech Republic is contributing EUR 7.37 million towards its acquisition through the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

Why does some unverified information on social media continue to spread, whilst other information gradually disappears? An international team of scientists, including researchers from IT4Innovations, has developed a mathematical model that examines how rumours and debunking information spread and the roles that user memory, response time, and the unpredictability of human behaviour play in this process. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

What can a quantum computer do, and what could it be useful for in the future? Researchers from Czech research organisations are among the first to seek answers, having gained access to VLQ, the first quantum computer installed in the Czech Republic. Using real quantum hardware, they will test applications including detecting AI-generated voice deepfakes, simulating molecules important for drug development, and analysing power grids. At the same time, researchers are gaining hands-on experience with a technology that differs fundamentally from classical supercomputers in many respects.

Our 2025 Year in Review brings together the key moments at IT4Innovations. Read the publication here. →

Ostrava, 14 July 2026 – Quantum computing is no longer just a vision of the distant future. Researchers and companies from the Czech Republic and across Europe can now gain access to VLQ – the first quantum computer installed in the Czech Republic. The system is operated by the IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center at VSB – Technical University of Ostrava, which is expanding its portfolio of computing systems with this entirely new technology. VLQ was acquired and is operated by the LUMI-Q consortium, with 50% of its funding provided by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU).

At the ISC High Performance 2026 conference, held in Hamburg, Germany, from 22 to 26 June, the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) announced the launch of a pilot call providing access to quantum computers. Among the four systems made available is the Czech VLQ quantum computer, installed at IT4Innovations.

The Czech National Supercomputing Center also maintained a strong presence at Europe's largest event dedicated to high-performance computing, artificial intelligence and quantum technologies through expert presentations and showcases of international projects.

Researchers at IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center used machine learning methods to analyse children's movement data. The goal was to determine whether data collected by a single sensor attached to the body could be used to identify different types of physical activities and reveal similarities among them. The results may find applications in the future in sports training, physical education, and physiotherapy.

EVITA launches a Call for Modular Training Materials and a Call for External Reviewers, inviting the European HPC community to contribute to the development of a unified, high-quality training ecosystem.

IT4Innovations Newsletter 3/2026 →

Join us at the International Supercomputing Conference (ISC 2026) in Hamburg, Germany
(23–26 June 2026), Europe’s leading event for high-performance & quantum computing.

We will present our computing infrastructure, including the Karolina and Barbora supercomputers and the VLQ quantum computer, alongside research activities, international projects, and our involvement in EuroHPC JU activities.

In June 2026, meetings of the Industrial and Scientific Advisory Board of the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) – which consists of three main advisory bodies — were held in Luxembourg. The meeting included elections for the leadership of the Research and Innovation Advisory Group (RIAG) and the Infrastructure Advisory Group (INFRAG), and a new advisory group, the Quantum Technologies Advisory Group (QTAG), was established.

How do massive black holes migrate to the centres of galaxies, and how can their movement be modelled as accurately as possible? An international team of scientists sought answers to these questions in a study published in the journal *Astronomy & Astrophysics*. Scientists from IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center also contributed to the research.