Prague is not only an amazing historical city with a wealth of monuments, excellent gastronomy, cordial residents, and a wide range of events. It is also a modern and innovative science hub. Prague excels in many fields, such as artificial intelligence and robotics, biomedicine, low-carbon technologies, data technologies and selected creative industries, providing ideal opportunities for holding conventions and conferences with the matching topics.
In the 33rd edition of Innovative Prague, you will learn how the Czech Republic is involved in one of the largest European scientific projects today, why the Czech potential could lie in the field of clean tech in the future, what new technology and robotics initiatives are emerging in Prague, or how domestic scientists are pushing the boundaries of medical research and artificial intelligence.
Will Prague Become a Mecca of Technologies?
In Europe, several countries are currently striving to develop a device that can help shed light on the origin of the universe and its early stages of evolution. It is one of the largest European scientific projects today, the so-called Einstein telescope. The construction of an observatory at a depth of up to 300 meters underground, designed to detect gravitational waves, represents a project worth approximately CZK 61 billion. Therefore, in March, a meeting of leading European experts in gravitational wave research took place at the Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in Prague. Although the Czech Republic will not be the new home to the telescope, it is actively involved in the project through the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and four other Czech universities. The event has thus reaffirmed Prague’s position as an important centre of European science and showed the potential of Czech expertise.
However, we will not miss a look into space, as the AMBIC satellite, which is part of the Czech Ambitious Mission project, should be put into operation in 2030. This was confirmed by the contract by representatives of the European Space Agency and VZLU AEROSPACE (Aerospace Research and Testing Institute), who intend to create room for Czech space development. The new satellite will take up to 400 images per day in low orbit up to 550 kilometres.
A technology that has originated in Prague is used mainly in modern medicine, but the film industry and developers of defence drones are also interested in it. Riden Technologies’ Redcap technology enables lossless image transmission with a minimum latency of between 10 and 50 milliseconds. Redcap is to be deployed in 20 operating theatres and has also caught the attention of a Norwegian company focused on detecting tumours and diseases of the digestive system.
Prague is not only a centre of space and digital technologies. The Czech potential in the future could also lie in the field of clean tech. Therefore, decarbonization and its application to industrial production is also a discussed topic. The Czech Republic currently exports products of this nature worth over 1.2 trillion crowns. Therefore, the industrial sector is looking for opportunities in technologies that will be in high demand in the future. If we manage to create conditions for their development and the acquisition of domestic know-how, the Czech Republic and Prague are on the way to the front ranks of this industry.
With its new project, the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic is attracting the world’s top scientists to the Czech Republic. As part of the 17th public tender of the SIGMA programme – sub-objective 2, the Industrial Chairs project was created. It is designed to connect academic talents, businesses and foreign experts, most of whom choose Prague as their destination. Projects can be financed from the state budget in the maximum amount of 60% and a subsidy of up to CZK 42 million can be obtained per project.
New in Prague
Connecting experts and sharing knowledge is also a challenge in the field of humanoid robotics. Therefore, the Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics of the Czech Technical University (CIIRC) in Prague has established a new Interdisciplinary Center for Humanoid Robotics (ICHR), which will connect experts in robotics and AI with experts in law, ethics or the design of human-robot interactions. The aim is to create a space for safe testing, development of new technologies and student projects.
However, the Czech Technical University’s recent openings are not confined to the establishment of ICHR: it has also opened a new master’s program in visual computing and game design within the Faculty of Information Studies. The new specialization should not only train students in the world of gaming design but also connect them with experts who are already leading a number of development projects.
From computers to reality and back. A platform has been created in Prague that combines artificial intelligence with virtual reality to take human learning another step further. Yord has developed the so-called Training Experience Platform (TEP), which, based on a scenario framework, simulates a job interview, tests presentation skills or helps Red Cross rescuers prepare for various crisis situations.
Meet promising young scientists
Another year has passed and the prestigious Werner von Siemens Awards have awarded young scientists, students and teachers from natural and technical fields. Out of 662 submitted projects, the jury selected 22 awardees, who shared CZK 1 million. The main prize for the most significant achievement in basic research was awarded to Martin Kozák from Charles University. Charles University was the most successful among Czech institutions, also thanks to Adela Šimková from the Faculty of Science, who won the category for the best dissertation thesis and the award for the outstanding quality of women’s scientific work.
Groundbreaking innovation in medical research in Prague
Scientists from the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in Prague and České Budějovice participated in international research that brought breakthrough findings in structural biology. Thanks to the IncelluloED method, there is no need to laboriously isolate proteins or create large crystals outside their natural environment, which has been one of the main limits of research so far. This approach thus opens new possibilities not only for basic research into cell functioning, but also for the development of drugs, where accurate knowledge of the structure of proteins is crucial.
Other brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or various mental illnesses, can now be detected much earlier than they manifest themselves. Milan Němý from the Czech Technical University uses artificial intelligence and magnetic resonance imaging to try to capture changes in brain structures before changes are visible to the human eye. MRI images will thus be transformed into clear 3D models using artificial intelligence.
Alzheimer’s disease was also researched by a Czech-French team of scientists, who newly described its initial stages. The research focused on the tau protein, the chemical modification of which weakens the protective function of neurons. Scientists have found that microtubule breakdown occurs even before the tau protein is completely detached, pushing the boundaries of research into the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological diseases further.
A shift is also occurring in other areas of medical research. An international team of scientists led by Lucie Láníková from the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences has clarified the cause of rare hereditary erythrocytosis, which is manifested by an excess of red blood cells.
Would you like to learn more interesting facts on innovation? Browse through the previous three issues of Innovative Prague: