SGER: Exploratory Investigation of Modular Ontology Languages

许多分布式数据和知识库应用程序需要一个结构化的方法来协作构建大型本体（概念化的对象，属性和对象之间的关系，在特定的领域）。 这种高风险，潜在的高影响力的研究，旨在解决这样的本体语言，分布式推理算法和软件工具，支持快速协作组装和使用复杂的本体，通过部分和选择性重用独立创建的本体模块的应用程序的需要。一个基于描述逻辑（DL）的模块化本体语言，即基于包的描述逻辑（P-DL）正在开发的研究人员探索的语言功能，语法和语义的基于包的偏序本体（PPO）。所产生的工具将在合作的背景下进行评估， 构建比较基因组学所需的动物性状（表型）本体。该研究的预期成果包括用于快速、协作构建PPO（以及最终的P-DL本体）的开源软件。由此产生的工具可以潜在地改变分布式数据和知识库应用程序，就像万维网改变了超链接文档的构建、共享和使用，维基改变了百科全书的构建一样。这项研究的更广泛的影响包括增强研究生和本科生的研究培训机会，加强跨学科合作，增加代表性不足的群体的参与，以及更广泛的科学界参与开发和使用日益复杂的协作本体开发工具。该项目的网址（http：//www.cs.iastate.edu/modulhonavar/ailab/projects/modularontologies.html）提供关于该项目的信息、出版物和原型软件工具。

Many distributed data and knowledge base applications call for a structured approach to collaborative construction of large ontologies (conceptualizations of objects, properties, and relationships between objects of interest in specific domains). This high risk, potentially high impact research is aimed at addressing the need of such applications for ontology languages, distributed reasoning algorithms, and software tools that support rapid collaborative assembly and use of complex ontologies through partial and selective reuse of independently created ontology modules. A family of description logics (DL) based modular ontology languages, namely Package-Based Description logics (P-DL) being developed by the researchers to explore the language features, syntax, and semantics of package-based partial order ontologies (PPO). The resulting tools will be evaluated in the context of collaborative construction of animal trait (phenotype) ontologies needed for comparative genomics. Anticipated results of the research include open source software for rapid, collaborative construction of PPO (and eventually, P-DL ontologies). The resulting tools can potentially transform distributed data and knowledge base applications in the same way in which the World-Wide Web transformed the construction, sharing and use of hyperlinked documents and Wiki has transformed encyclopedia construction. Broader impacts of this research include enhanced opportunities for research-based training of graduate and undergraduate students, enhanced interdisciplinary collaborations, increased participation of under-represented groups, and engagement of the broader scientific community in developing and using increasingly sophisticated collaborative ontology development tools. The project Web site (http://www.cs.iastate.edu/~honavar/ailab/projects/modularontologies.html) provides access to the information on the project, publications and prototype software tools.