GeoStream: Spatial Information Indexing Within Textual Documents Supported by a Dynamically Parameterized Web Service

International audienceCultural heritage content is everywhere on the web: digital libraries, archives, and portals of museums or galleries. Cultural heritage document collections are characterized by contents related to a territory and its land's history. In this context, the GeoTopia project is supported by the CNRS-TGE-Adonis and focuses on archive data sharing and interpretation. It consists in a Content Management System (CMS) that aims to manage a repository of multimedia digital documents: it exploits information like origin, theme, period, area, etc. to index and/or query documents. Our contribution is dedicated to spatial information contained in non structured textual documents. More specifically, we have developed a process flow that can extract the spatial information contained in textual documents. This process flow indexes spatial information and computes precise geolocalized representations. We propose to encapsulate it into the GeoStream specific web service and to make its behavior dynamically customizable for easier integration into such platforms used for the management of cultural heritage electronic document

Semantic Search and Discovery for Earth Observation Products using Ontology Services

Η πρόσβαση σε δεδομένα που έχουν προέλθει από την παρατήρηση της Γης παραμένει δύσκολη για τους περισσότερους απλούς χρήστες μέχρι και σήμερα. Οι υπάρχουσες μηχανές αναζήτησης απευθύνονται σε ειδικούς του πεδίου παρατήρησης της Γης, αδυνατώντας να καλύψουν τις ανάγκες επιστημονικών κοινοτήτων από άλλα πεδία, καθώς και απλών χρηστών που δεν είναι εξοικειωμένοι με τα δεδομένα παρατήρησης της Γης. Στα πλαίσια αυτής της διπλωματικής αναπτύχθηκαν σημασιολογικές τεχνολογίες οι οποίες ενσωματώθηκαν σε μια πλατφόρμα αναζήτησης ΕΟ-netCDF δεδομένων. Οι τεχνολογίες αυτές με τη χρήση οντολογιών επιτρέπουν την εύκολη αναζήτηση και πρόσβαση σε δεδομένα που έχουν προέλθει από την παρατήρηση της Γης.Access to Earth Observation products remains difficult for end-users in most domains. Although various search engines have been developed, these are targeted for advanced Earth Observation users, and fail to support scientific communities from other domains, as well as casual users not familiar with the concepts of Earth Observation.In the context of this thesis, we developed semantic technologies that were used to semantically enhance a search engine for EO-netCDF product. We present how these technologies utilize ontology services to substantially improve the ability of end-users to explore, understand and exploit the vast amount of Earth Observation data that is available nowadays

XATA 2006: XML: aplicações e tecnologias associadas

Esta é a quarta conferência sobre XML e Tecnologias Associadas. Este evento tem-se tornado um ponto de encontro para quem se interessa pela temática e tem sido engraçado observar que os participantes gostam e tentam voltar nos anos posteriores. O grupo base de trabalho, a comissão científica, também tem vindo a ser alargada e todos os que têm colaborado com vontade e com uma qualidade crescente ano após ano. Pela quarta vez estou a redigir este prefácio e não consigo evitar a redacção de uma descrição da evolução da XATA ao longo destes quatro anos: 2003 Nesta "reunião", houve uma vintena de trabalhos submetidos, maioritariamente da autoria ou da supervisão dos membros que integravam a comissão organizadora o que não envalidou uma grande participação e acesas discussões. 2004 Houve uma participação mais forte da comunidade portuguesa mas ainda com números pouco expressivos. Nesta altura, apostou-se também numa forte participação da indústria, o que se traduziu num conjunto apreciável de apresentações de casos reais. Foi introduzido o processo de revisão formal dos trabalhos submetidos. 2005 Houve uma forte adesão nacional e internacional (Espanha e Brasil, o que para um evento onde se pretende privilegiar a língua portuguesa é ainda mais significativo). A distribuição geográfica em Portugal também aumentou, havendo mais instituições participantes. Automatizaram-se várias tarefas como o processo de submissão e de revisão de artigos. 2006 Nesta edição actual, e contrariamente ao que acontece no plano nacional, houve um crescimento significativo. Em todas as edições, tem sido objectivo da comissão organizadora, previlegiar a produção científica e dar voz ao máximo número de participantes. Nesse sentido, este ano, não haverá oradores convidados, sendo o programa integralmente preenchido com as apresentações dos trabalhos seleccionados. Apesar disso ainda houve uma taxa significativa de rejeições, principalmente devido ao elevado número de submissões. Foi introduzido também, nesta edição, um dia de tutoriais com o objectivo de fornecer competências mínimas a quem quer começar a trabalhar na área e também poder assistir de uma forma mais informada à conferência. Se analisarmos as temáticas, abordadas nas quatro conferências, percebemos que também aqui há uma evolução no sentido de uma maior maturidade. Enquanto que no primeiro encontro, os trabalhos abordavam problemas emergentes na utilização da tecnologia, no segundo encontro a grande incidência foi nos Web Services, uma nova tecnologia baseada em XML, no terceiro, a maior incidência foi na construção de repositórios, motores de pesquisa e linguagens de interrogação, nesta quarta edição há uma distribuição quase homogénea por todas as áreas temáticas tendo mesmo aparecido trabalhos que abordam aspectos científicos e tecnológicos da base da tecnologia XML. Desta forma, podemos concluir que a tecnologia sob o ponto de vista de utilização e aplicação está dominada e que a comunidade portuguesa começa a fazer contributos para a ciência de base.Microsoft

Digital Humanities, Corpus and Language Technology/ Humanidades Digitales, Corpus y Tecnología del Lenguaje:A look from diverse case studies / Una mirada desde diversos casos de estudio

Digital Humanities, Corpus and Language Technology: A look from diverse case studies is an outstanding collection of research contributions that explores the intersection of technology and the humanities. The authors provide a comprehensive overview of how these technologies can enhance research across various disciplines, from literature to history to anthropology. This book is a mustread for anyone interested in future research in the humanities. Digital Humanities, Corpus, and Language Technologies are rapidly growing fields that have the potential to revolutionize research across various disciplines.New technologies have opened up new perspectives for research, allowing scientists to analyze data in previously impossible ways. The interdisciplinary approach and practical applications make it an invaluable resource for researchers, students, and anyone interested in the intersection of technology and the humanities

AXMEDIS 2008

The AXMEDIS International Conference series aims to explore all subjects and topics related to cross-media and digital-media content production, processing, management, standards, representation, sharing, protection and rights management, to address the latest developments and future trends of the technologies and their applications, impacts and exploitation. The AXMEDIS events offer venues for exchanging concepts, requirements, prototypes, research ideas, and findings which could contribute to academic research and also benefit business and industrial communities. In the Internet as well as in the digital era, cross-media production and distribution represent key developments and innovations that are fostered by emergent technologies to ensure better value for money while optimising productivity and market coverage

Housing quality and lost (public) space in Croatia

IN ENGLISH: In the post-socialist period and within the current social transition context, urban and rural Croatia has, just like other transition countries, experienced many changes in the social structure and space. One example is the housing quality which is a replica of the situation in the Croatian society and has also undergone some major changes. Socially oriented housing construction co-financed by the state and the cities is in an unfavourable position compared to private housing construction. In the last twenty years the amount of the social housing construction has been only a minor part of the total contruction work in the country. For instance, out of nine newly planned residential housing developments in Zagreb, the capital city, only three have been completed and the work on the rest of them has stopped and is unlikely to continue. Private construction work prevails especially on the edge of the city and is characterised by high density housing. This type of housing construction doesn't benefit the majority of citizens in search of accommodation (price per square meter is too high, low-quality building). There is also a big problem of the community facilities (primary and secondary infrastructure, schools, kindergartens, playgrounds, green areas, sidewalks, public transport etc.). The existing globalisation-transition circumstances of the Croatian society corroborate the fact which experts of various profiles often point out: ignoring the process of (urban) planning will irreparably damage the space. The city transformation shows the absence of comprehensive urban planning which results in an ever increasing number of random buildings which do not fit in the surroundings. This leads up to yet another important issue – the shrinking and, in some cases, disappearance of public space which becomes the “lost space“. In recent years there has been a lot of building in the city core and on the edge which does not quite fit in the existing urban structure, image or the skyline of the city. The current situation in the process of planning can be characterized as a conflict and imbalance between the powerful actors (mostly political and economic) and less powerful actors (mostly professional and civil). The actors who have the political power and influence and the ones who possess the capital are forming an “alliance” between two important layers of the social structure. The lack of civil and professional actors, “lost spatial actors”, and therefore of civic aggregation is also present and that is also the cause of public space “disappearance” and undermined process of public participation. --------------- IN CROATIAN: U postsocijalističkom razdoblju i trenutnom tranzicijskom kontekstu urbana i ruralna Hrvatska su, kao i ostale tranzicijske zemlje, doživjele mnoge promjene u društvenoj strukturi i samom prostoru. Na primjeru kvalitete stanovanja kao replike stanja u hrvatskom društvu mogu se vidjeti značajne promjene. Društveno usmjerena stambena izgradnja sufinancirana od strane države i gradova je stoga rjeđa i u nepovoljnijoj je situaciji prema privatnoj stanogradnji. Zadnjih dvadeset godina udjel socijalne stambene gradnje je zanemariv u ukupnoj izgradnji na razini zemlje. Primjerice, od devet planiranih stambenih naselja izgrađenih po modelu POS-a u Zagrebu samo su tri i završena. Na ostalima je proces gradnje zastao i ne čini se da će se privesti kraju. Privatna je gradnje prisutnija, posebno na rubovima grada, a obilježava je visoka gustoća gradnje. Ovakav tip gradnje ne odgovara većini stanovnika koji su u procesu potražnje stambene nekretnine (visoka cijena kvadratnog metra, a slaba kvaliteta gradnje). Postoji također i problem nedostatne opremljenosti susjedstva (primarna i sekundarna infrastruktura, škole, vrtići, igrališta, zelene površine, pješačke staze, javni transport itd.). Navedene globalizacijsko-tranzicijske okolnosti hrvatskog društva potvrđuju ono što eksperti različitih profila ističu, a to je da će ignoriranje procesa (urbanog) planiranja nepovratno uništiti prostor gradova. Ovakve transformacije pokazuju nedostatak sustavnog urbanog planiranja što rezultira sve većim brojem zgrada koje se ne uklapaju u neposrednu okolinu. To nadalje dovodi do drugog važnog aspekta – smanjivanja i u nekim slučajevima, nestanka javnog prostora koji postaje „izgubljeni prostor“. Posljednjih je godina izgrađen velik broj zgrada, i u središtu i na rubovima grada, koje se ne uklapaju u postojeću urbanu strukturu, izgled ili vizuru grada. Ovakvu situaciju obilježavaju sukob i neravnoteža između moćnijih društvenih aktera (većinom političkih i ekonomskih) i onih manje moćnih (većinom profesionalnih i civilnih). Politički i ekonomski akteri se često povezuju u „savez“ dvaju najjačih u društvenoj strukturi. S druge strane nedostatak utjecaja civilnih i profesionalnih aktera kao „izgubljenih prostornih aktera“ dovodi do „nestanka“ javnih prostora te smanjenja važnosti procesa participacije (sudjelovanja javnosti)