2017

Review of the ICT thesis contest 2017

The ICT thesis contest took place on June 1, in TTÜ Mektory. During the public event the evaluating committees, which included representatives from several ICT companies, selected the best theses in five competition categories and gave out four special awards. Additionally, AS Cybernetica, AS Swedbank and OÜ Scoro Software awarded three master’s level theses with a company-named scholarship.

The competition took place for the fifth time, including all the School of IT specialties. The objective of the contest is to prepare students for academic defense and recognize thesis writers for their academic accomplishments. Also, give other students the opportunity to gather inspiration for writing their own theses. On the other hand, to create favorable conditions for companies and students to meet and discuss potential collaboration opportunities.

From all of the School of IT’s master’s and bachelor’s curricula, 9 curricula were represented. The contest received 50 applications. During the spring semester of 2016/2017 academic year, about 400 theses will be defended in the School of IT. All of the theses submitted to the competition passed through preliminary evaluation, 29 theses remained on the sieve:

• BSc software category - 18 applications, 9 theses passed to final stage;
• BSc hardware and systems category - 4 applications, 4 theses passed to final stage;
• MSc software category - 16 applications, 6 theses passed to final stage;
• MSc hardware and systems category - 5 applications, 4 theses passed to final stage;
• MSc information society category - 7 applications, 6 theses passed to final stage.

Great responsibility fell to the preliminary evaluation committee, as they had to choose the theses that would be given an opportunity to compete in the final round of the competition. The committee consisted of the academic staff representatives, who read and evaluated the theses, and gave their recommendation who of the candidates deserved a special prize. A deep bow and praise to all the members of the preliminary evaluation committee for the work done!

During the final round’s public event held in Mektory, the students, competing in different categories, presented their theses in accordance with the academic practices, and answered questions from the committee members and audience. Five different evaluation committees worked in parallel session, the committees included representatives from several ICT companies in additions to the academic staff. At this point, we would like to thank the members of the evaluating committees and the chairmen for their hard work, and hope that students, who took part of the contest, received important input and confidence for the academic defense of their theses.

Similarly, to the previous years, the competition in the BSc software category was the highest. The winning theses focused on wavelet transform opportunities and solving the Tartarus problem. The winning thesis of BSc hardware and systems category focused on the development of TTÜ student formula, namely the establishment of the monitoring module and incorporating it to the formula car. The special prize was awarded to the thesis, which focused on creating a microprocessor model that can be used in the teaching process. Other theses focused on the theme of robotics.

This year the MSc software category receive a record number of applications, from wide variety of curricula. Category’s grand prize as well as company-named (Swedbank, Scoro) scholarships were awarded to a thesis that implemented scientific approach in creating a practical application, the work was well prepared and carried out. The winning thesis of MSc hardware and systems category was written about jamming of spread spectrum communications used in UAV remote control systems, equally prominent in the scientific and practical dimensions. The special prize as well as company-named (Cybernetica) scholarship was awarded to a thesis that focused on artificial nerve networks. In the MSc information society, the awarded project was written about possible usage methods of open government data, being equally scientifically prominent. In close competition, the winner of the spcial prize turned out to be thesis, which was engaged in the design of services for people with decreased work capacity.

Best theses were acknowledged with scholarships - a winner for each category was chosen, seven special prizes were given out, including AS Cybernetica, AS Swedbank and OÜ Scoro Software scholarship.

Authors of the best Bachelor’s level (BSc) theses are:

• Vladislav Zakharenkov, Solving the Tartarus problem by means of Genetic Algorithms, supervisor Early Stage Researcher Margarita Spitšakova (the winner of BSc software category, scholarship 500€);
• Aleksandr Tsõganov, Aegridade põhine kadude tuvastamine tarkade arvestite võrgus kasutades wavelet teisendusi, supervisors Lecturer Tarvo Treier and Kristjan Kuhi (best analytical thesis of BSc software category, scholarship 500€);
• Jürgen Soom, Tudengivormeli CAN liidesel põhinev näidikute ploki arendamine, supervisor Research Scientist Mairo Leier (the winner of BSc hardware and systems category, scholarship 500€);
• Lembitu Valdmets, 8-bitise mikroprotsessori mudel, supervisor Prof. Peeter Ellervee (the special prize of BSc hardware and systems category, scholarship 200€).

Authors of the best Master’s level (MSc) theses are:

• Martin Karu, Weakly Supervised Training of Speaker Identification Models, supervisor Senior Research Scientist Tanel Alumäe (the winner of MSc software category, scholarship 500€; AS Swedbank scholarship, OÜ Scoro Software scholarship);
• Ilja Mašarov, Digital Clock Drawing Test Implementation and Analysis, supervisor Senior Research Scientist Sven Nõmm (the special prize of MSc software category, scholarship 300€);
• Karel Pärlin, Jamming of Spread Spectrum Communications Used in UAV Remote Control Systems, supervisors Associate Prof. Muhammad Mahtab Alam and Prof. Yannick Le Moullec (the winner of MSc hardware and systems category, scholarship 500€);
• Madis Kerner, Hierarchical Temporal Memory Based Predictive Model and Anomaly Detection Component on FPGA, supervisor Associate Prof. Kalle Tammemäe (the special prize of MSc hardware and systems category, scholarship 300€; AS Cybernetica scholarship);
• Keegan McBride, Government as a Platform: Exploiting Open Government Data to Drive Public Service Co-Creation, superviors Prof. Robert Krimmer ja Early Stage Researcher Maarja Toots (the winner of MSc information society category, scholarship 500€);
• Maarja Männik, Principles for designing a proactive and personalised ‘One-Stop-Shop’ service for people with reduced work ability in Estonia, supervisor Prof. Kuldar Taveter (the special prize of MSc information society category, scholarship 300€).

After the student presentations, all participants were invited to listen to the exciting guest speaker. CDP Technologies Estonia OÜ automation framework's and toolset's principal software architect Jüri Toomessoo talked about technology explosion in automatics.

TTÜ School of Information Technologies would like to thank all of the partners, who contributed to the realization of the contest - contributed to the scholarship fund, participated in the evaluating committee, gave a promotional gift to the contest participants and helped with the organizational matters. Thank you: AS Cybernetica, OÜ Scoro Software, AS Swedbank, AS Kühne + Nagel, AS Fujitsu Estonia, AS Telia Eesti, AS CGI Eesti, Hariduse Infotehnoloogia Sihtasutus, Siseministeeriumi infotehnoloogia- ja arenduskeskus, Erply OÜ, Helmes AS, OÜ LDI Innovation, Ericsson Eesti AS, AS Datel, CDP Technologies Estonia OÜ, SA Tallinna Tehnikaülikooli Arengufond ning Innovatsiooni- ja ettevõtluskeskus Mektory.

Also, take a look at the pictures of the contest (photographer Kaspar Kallip).

The organizer of the ICT thesis contest
School of Information Technologies
iktkonkurss@ttu.ee

Partners

The competition is organized by the TTÜ School of Information Technologies with Information Technology Foundation for Education's Study IT in Estonia programme.