Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies are now used in all areas of science and technology – in medicine, transportation, finance and insurance, air defense systems and space industry. Anyone who has a voice assistant installed on his or her smartphone encounters artificial intelligence. 

Artificial intelligence research at Samara National Research University (Samara University) is interdisciplinary. A research school supervised by Viktor Soifer (1) and Departments of Technical Cybernetics, Geoinformatics and Information Security, Supercomputers and General Informatics mainly contribute to the research. Samara University established a master’s program in Applied Mathematics and Informatics, Data Science, in 2017 and a PhD program in Data Science in 2018. 

In close cooperation with Image Processing Systems Institute, the Russian Academy of Sciences, Samara University implements a number of promising projects. The projects concern development of systems for high-speed processing and real-time analysis of streaming video data based on deep learning methods.

In collaboration with scientists from the world’s leading research centers, Yale University, USA, and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland, Samara University carries out research and development in the field of cognitive neuroscience. Together with Department of Automated Systems of Power Plants and Institute of Machine Acoustics, Samara University develops systems for intelligent predictive diagnostics of machine-building complexes. Together with colleagues from Samara State Medical University, Samara University researchers develop a system for medical image analysis automatically diagnosing a number of diseases.

Samara University is a member of the CERN openlab (Switzerland) public-private partnership. The first joint project, SmartLINAC, tests an innovative method of implementing deep learning technologies to recognize and simulate the timing and failure modes of LINAC linear accelerator systems.

Artificial intelligence technologies are also implemented to analyze images obtained in optical systems. The systems are based on diffractive lenses developed jointly with the Image Processing Systems Institute. These ultra-light optical systems will be installed on nano-class spacecraft for Earth remote sensing.

In February 2020, Samara University announced an establishment of a greenfield as a new academic structure. The greenfield will focus on research and educational programs in the field of artificial intelligence. According to Artem Nikonorov (2), a professor at Supercomputers and General Informatics Department, artificial intelligence should be considered as a field of knowledge and research far exceeding a notion of a field of computer science. Therefore, the greenfield will form a basis for research and educational collaboration with leading production centers and research teams to implement breakthrough projects in various fields of engineering and fundamental sciences and humanities. 

“The issue of developing research and educational activities in the field of artificial intelligence is much broader than simply establishing a new structural unit or rearranging the resources and altering the name,” Vladimir Bogatyrev, the Rector of Samara University, said. “We view it as a greenfield, in fact, a research and education startup. Its aim is to develop the best practices for managing research, innovation and educational activities, which can define the direction of transformation for the whole university". 

According to Vladimir Bogatyrev, Samara University plans to receive first results of the project under a working title Institute of Artificial Intelligence in 2021 and to develop the necessary competencies by 2024.

Research areas and leading research teams

Viktor Soifer

Viktor Soifer is a Professor and a Doctor of Technical Sciences, an Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation. He is an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences (2016), Nanotechnologies and Information Technologies Department, specializing in optical systems and informatics, and the research director of the Image Processing Systems Institute, the Russian Academy of Sciences. He is the President of Samara University and the chief researcher of Automated Research Systems research laboratory, Samara University. Viktor Soifer founded the Computer Optics, Image Processing and Geoinformatics research school, which is now the leading Russian research school. He graduated from Faculty of Radio Engineering, Kuibyshev Aviation Institute (currently Samara National Research University). Viktor Soifer is a member of the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE) and the International Association for Pattern Recognition (IAPR) Board. He is an Honorary Doctor of Dowling College (USA) and Harbin Polytechnic Institute (China), a full member of the Academy of Engineering Sciences, the Academy of Quality Problems and the Tsiolkovsky Academy of Cosmonautics. Viktor Soifer is also an editor-in-chief of Computer Optics journal.

Artem Nikonorov

Artem Nikonorov is a Doctor of Technical Sciences, a professor at Supercomputers and General Informatics Department, a leading researcher of a research and education center for Computer Research, Samara University, the head of an Intelligent Video Data Analysis Laboratory, Image Processing Systems Institute, the Russian Academy of Sciences. He graduated from Faculty of Informatics, Samara State Aerospace University (currently Samara National Research University). His main research interests are artificial intelligence and deep learning in industrial applications, machine vision, high performance computing. He is a winner of the New Space All-Russian competition of young scientist laboratories of new space technology (2016), a holder of the Russian Federation President’s grant (2017), a laureate of the Provincial Prize in Science and Technology (2018). Artem Nikonorov is also a Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the International Association for Pattern Recognition (IAPR).