Introduction: Modeling, Learning and Processing of Text-Technological Data Structures

Researchers in many disciplines, sometimes working in close cooperation, have been concerned with modeling textual data in order to account for texts as the prime information unit of written communication. The list of disciplines includes computer science and linguistics as well as more specialized disciplines like computational linguistics and text technology. What many of these efforts have in common is the aim to model textual data by means of abstract data types or data structures that support at least the semi-automatic processing of texts in any area of written communication

Using ontology and semantic web services to support modeling in systems biology

This thesis addresses the problem of collaboration among experimental biologists and modelers in the study of systems biology by using ontology and Semantic Web Services techniques. Modeling in systems biology is concerned with using experimental information and mathematical methods to build quantitative models across different biological scales. This requires interoperation among various knowledge sources and services. Ontology and Semantic Web Services potentially provide an infrastructure to meet this requirement. In our study, we propose an ontology-centered framework within the Semantic Web infrastructure that aims at standardizing various areas of knowledge involved in the biological modeling processes. In this framework, first we specify an ontology-based meta-model for building biological models. This meta-model supports using shared biological ontologies to annotate biological entities in the models, allows semantic queries and automatic discoveries, enables easy model reuse and composition, and serves as a basis to embed external knowledge. We also develop means of transforming biological data sources and data analysis methods into Web Services. These Web Services can then be composed together to perform parameterization in biological modeling. The knowledge of decision-making and workflow of parameterization processes are then recorded by the semantic descriptions of these Web Services, and embedded in model instances built on our proposed meta-model. We use three cases of biological modeling to evaluate our framework. By examining our ontology-centered framework in practice, we conclude that by using ontology to represent biological models and using Semantic Web Services to standardize knowledge components in modeling processes, greater capabilities of knowledge sharing, reuse and collaboration can be achieved. We also conclude that ontology-based biological models with formal semantics are essential to standardize knowledge in compliance with the Semantic Web vision

Semiotic Annotation of Narrative Video Commercials: Bridging the Gap between Artifacts and Ontologies

Drawing on semiotic theories, the paper proposes a new concept of annotation \u2013 called semiotic annotation \u2013 whose goal is to describe the multilayered articulation of meaning inscribed within narrative video commercials by their designers. The approach exploits the use of a meta-model of the narrative video genre providing the conceptualizations and the vocabulary for analysis and annotation. By explicating design knowledge embodied in the video, semiotic annotation plays the role of intermediate level knowledge between the meta-model (an informal ontology) and practice (the concrete video artifact). In order to assess the feasibility of the approach, a test bed is presented and results are reported. A final discussion about the potential contribution of semiotic annotation in the fields of Research Through Design, Technological Mediation, and Interface Criticism concludes the study

A contextual semantic mediator for a distributed cooperative maintenance platform.

International audiencePlatforms expand maintenance systems from centralized systems into e-maintenance platforms integrating various cooperative distributed systems and maintenance applications. This phenomenon allowed an evolution in services offered to maintenance actors by integrating more intelligent applications, providing decision support and facilitating the access to needed data. To manage this evolution, e-maintenance platforms must respond to a great challenge which is ensuring an interoperable communication between its integrated systems. By combining different techniques used in previous works, we propose in this work a semantic mediator system ensuring a high level of interoperability between systems in the maintenance platform

Modeling tools for the integration of structured data sources

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, February 2011."December 2010." Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 61-64).Disparity in representations within structured documents such as XML or SQL makes interoperability challenging, error-prone and expensive. A model is developed to process disparate representations to an encompassing generic knowledge representation. Data sources were characterized according to a number of smaller models: their case; the underlying data storage structures; a content model based on the ontological structure defined by the documents schema; and the data model or physical structure of the schema. In order to harmonize different representations and give them semantic meaning, from the above categories the representation is mapped to a common dictionary. The models were implemented as a structured data analysis tool and a basis was built to compare across schema and documents. Data exchange within modeling and simulation environments are increasingly in the form of XML using a variety of schema. Therefore, we demonstrate the use of this modeling tool to automatically harmonized multiple disparate XML data sources in a prototype simulated environment.by Jyotsna Venkataramanan.M.Eng

Semantic technologies: from niche to the mainstream of Web 3? A comprehensive framework for web Information modelling and semantic annotation

Context: Web information technologies developed and applied in the last decade have considerably changed the way web applications operate and have revolutionised information management and knowledge discovery. Social technologies, user-generated classification schemes and formal semantics have a far-reaching sphere of influence. They promote collective intelligence, support interoperability, enhance sustainability and instigate innovation. Contribution: The research carried out and consequent publications follow the various paradigms of semantic technologies, assess each approach, evaluate its efficiency, identify the challenges involved and propose a comprehensive framework for web information modelling and semantic annotation, which is the thesis’ original contribution to knowledge. The proposed framework assists web information modelling, facilitates semantic annotation and information retrieval, enables system interoperability and enhances information quality. Implications: Semantic technologies coupled with social media and end-user involvement can instigate innovative influence with wide organisational implications that can benefit a considerable range of industries. The scalable and sustainable business models of social computing and the collective intelligence of organisational social media can be resourcefully paired with internal research and knowledge from interoperable information repositories, back-end databases and legacy systems. Semantified information assets can free human resources so that they can be used to better serve business development, support innovation and increase productivity

Schema-agnostic entity retrieval in highly heterogeneous semi-structured environments

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Design and development of BIM models to support operations and maintenance

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is one of the most significant technological advancements in recent years that has been adopted by the design and construction industry. While BIM adoption is growing, it can be witnessed that adoption is relatively weak within operational and maintenance (O&M) organisations such as estate and infrastructure management, who would ultimately gain the highest value of utilising BIM. While the challenges of BIM adaptation are multifaceted, there is a recurring theme of poor data integration between BIM and existing information management systems. There is a clear gap of knowledge on how to structure a BIM model that allows for efficient use within the O&M phase. Furthermore, there are no standard processes that allow for the exchange from a BIM model into an Asset Information Model (AIM). This paper outlines a process that enables extraction of BIM related data directly from a model into a relational database for integration within existing engineering asset management information management systems. The paper describes the BIM model requirements, development of the extraction platform, database architecture and framework. Furthermore, a case study is presented that demonstrates the methodology. The case study shows that if the BIM model is designed from the start with consideration for the O&M requirements, it can be exploited for development into an AIM. Furthermore, it demonstrates that a structured approach to object classification within a BIM model support the efficient exchange of data directly from the BIM mode

Query Translation in a Database Sharing Peer to Peer Network

In a peer to peer database sharing network users query data from all peers using one query as if they are querying data from one database. Implementing such a facility requires solutions to the problems of schema conflicts and query translation. Query translation is the problem of rewriting a query posed in terms of one schema to the query in terms of the other schema. Schema conflicts refer to the problems which come as the results of integrating data from databases which were designed independently. This paper proposes the architecture for integrating and querying databases in the peer to peer (P2P)network