Virtual laboratories

With the aim of driving innovation in High Performance Computing (HPC), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Quantum Computing, FCT promotes three virtual laboratories.

HPCvLAB – Virtual HPC laboratory

The Virtual HPC Laboratory – HPCvLAB – provides Competence Centers with a package of HPC computational resources for training potential future users and thus developing their skills and mission within the scope of RNCA and/or the EuroCC2 project. This project uses resources from the INCD and Deucalion operational centers. Five competence centers in Vila Real, Aveiro, Covilhã, Lisbon, and Faro are partners in this initiative. This initiative is aligned with the mission of the Advanced Computing Services and the EuroCC2 project. Those interested should contact one of these centers and request free access to HPC resources, with the necessary support to learn how to use and take advantage of these resources.

Registration for HPCvLAB

AIvLAB – Virtual Artificial Intelligence Laboratory

AIvLAB was created in 2024 from a partnership between FCT, the HPC-UÉ center, and the BigData@UÉ Laboratory. This virtual AI laboratory's mission is to boost the AI, Data Science, and Big Data communities. From 2025 onwards, it will have easy access to the Deucalion platform, promoting the experimentation of tools and supporting HPC and AI training. In line with the mission of advanced computing services and the EuroCC2 project, this initiative simplifies access to Artificial Intelligence technologies. Deucalion is a machine managed by FCT and installed at the University of Minho, with computational partitions capable of High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) work, including machine learning algorithms.

Registration at AIvLAB

QUANTUMvLAB – Virtual Quantum Computing Laboratory

The need to disseminate and understand quantum computing led to the installation of a quantum simulator in the ARM partition of the DEUCALION supercomputer in 2025, in close collaboration between CNCA, INESC TEC, Fujitsu, INL, and IST-UL.
In order to bring more users from the quantum computing community to this new simulator, in April 2025, FCT approved the creation of another virtual laboratory, which will join HPCvLAB and AIvLAB: the Virtual Quantum Computing Laboratory – QUANTUMvLAB.

Registration for QUANTUMvLAB