Knowledge Representation and the Semantic Web by Daniel D. Shaw

Knowledge Defined Expertise and skills acquired through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. What is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information. Awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation. Source: Oxford English Dictionary (by way of Wikipedia)

Expertise and skills acquired through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.

What is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information.

Awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.

Knowledge Representation 5 Roles of Knowledge Representation A surrogate, a substitute for the knowledge itself, used to determine consequences. A set of ontological commitments. The definition of the domain a thing is associated with. One of the aspects of the theory of intelligent reasoning. (Concepts very relevant to AI, but less relevant to what we’re looking at). Source: Davis, Shrobe and Szolovits, 1993

5 Roles of Knowledge Representation

A surrogate, a substitute for the knowledge itself, used to determine consequences.

A set of ontological commitments. The definition of the domain a thing is associated with.

One of the aspects of the theory of intelligent reasoning. (Concepts very relevant to AI, but less relevant to what we’re looking at).

Knowledge Representation 5 Roles of Knowledge Representation A medium for pragmatically efficient computation. Knowledge management facilitators or expert systems rule. A medium of human expression, such as language. Source: Davis, Shrobe and Szolovits, 1993

5 Roles of Knowledge Representation

A medium for pragmatically efficient computation. Knowledge management facilitators or expert systems rule.

A medium of human expression, such as language.

How do we represent knowledge? <rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#“ xmlns:foaf=&quot;http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/&quot; xmlns:rdfs=&quot;http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#&quot;> <foaf:Person rdf:about=&quot;#JW&quot;> <foaf:name>Jimmy Wales</foaf:name> <foaf:mbox rdf:resource=&quot;mailto:jwales@bomis.com&quot; /> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource=&quot;http://www.jimmywales.com/&quot; /> <foaf:nick>Jimbo</foaf:nick> <foaf:depiction rdf:resource=&quot;http://www.jimmywales.com/ausimgsmall.jpg&quot;/> <foaf:interest> <rdf:Description rdf:about=&quot;http://www.wikimedia.org“ rdfs:label=&quot;Wikipedia&quot; /> </foaf:interest> <foaf:knows> <foaf:Person> <foaf:name>Angela Beesley</foaf:name> </foaf:Person> </foaf:knows> </foaf:Person> </rdf:RDF> Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FOAF_(software)

Father of the [Semantic] Web Tim Berners-Lee Actually it’s… Sir Timothy Berners-Lee OM, KBE, FRS, FREng, FRSA Invented the World Wide Web in 1989. Director of the W3C. Early documents in 1998. Published “The Semantic Web” in Scientific American in 2001. Started formally working on the Semantic Web project at the end of 2004. Image Source: W3C Semantic Web Activity

Tim Berners-Lee

Actually it’s… Sir Timothy Berners-Lee OM, KBE, FRS, FREng, FRSA

Invented the World Wide Web in 1989.

Director of the W3C.

Early documents in 1998. Published “The Semantic Web” in Scientific American in 2001.

Started formally working on the Semantic Web project at the end of 2004.

Semantic Web Remember: Semantic = “meaning”

Remember:

Semantic = “meaning”

Semantic Web “ The Semantic Web is a web of data. There is lots of data we all use every day, and its not part of the web. I can see my bank statements on the web, and my photographs, and I can see my appointments in a calendar. But can I see my photos in a calendar to see what I was doing when I took them? Can I see bank statement lines in a calendar? ” - W3C Semantic Web Activity

“ The Semantic Web is a web of data. There is lots of data we all use every day, and its not part of the web. I can see my bank statements on the web, and my photographs, and I can see my appointments in a calendar. But can I see my photos in a calendar to see what I was doing when I took them? Can I see bank statement lines in a calendar? ”

- W3C Semantic Web Activity

Semantic Web “LayerCake” Image Source: W3C Semantic Web Activity

Semantic Web “LayerCake” URI/IRI – links. XML – interchangeable, structured data. Resource Description Framework (RDF) RDF Schema (RDFS) Rule Interchange Format (RIF) Image Source: W3C Semantic Web Activity

URI/IRI – links.

XML – interchangeable, structured data.

Resource Description Framework (RDF)

RDF Schema (RDFS)

Rule Interchange Format (RIF)

Semantic Web “LayerCake” SPARQL Web Ontology Language (OWL) “ Trust” – the top layer and the key to realizing the full potential of the Semantic Web. Image Source: W3C Semantic Web Activity

SPARQL

Web Ontology Language (OWL)

“ Trust” – the top layer and the key to realizing the full potential of the Semantic Web.

Semantic Web in Practice Network aware devices Interact with other locally aware devices. Example: Phone that notifies local devices with a volume control that there is an incoming call.

Network aware devices

Interact with other locally aware devices.

Example: Phone that notifies local devices with a volume control that there is an incoming call.

Semantic Web in Practice Intelligent Agents Conduct trusted actions on behalf of the owner with trusted resources. Example: Intelligent agent book trip for WWW2008.

Intelligent Agents

Conduct trusted actions on behalf of the owner with trusted resources.

Example: Intelligent agent book trip for WWW2008.

Take-aways for Software Engineers Knowledge Representation Knowledge and the representation of knowledge is multi-faceted and does not necessarily need to be dealt with as a whole. Ontologies are important, but imperfect. Which is more important for you: meaning for computers or meaning for humans?

Knowledge Representation

Knowledge and the representation of knowledge is multi-faceted and does not necessarily need to be dealt with as a whole.

Ontologies are important, but imperfect.

Which is more important for you: meaning for computers or meaning for humans?

Take-aways for Software Engineers The Semantic Web After 7+ years, it’s still “emerging”. In its purest sense, it may never become a reality. Trust of computer systems, especially the one’s we didn’t create could be a major hurdle.

The Semantic Web

After 7+ years, it’s still “emerging”.

In its purest sense, it may never become a reality.

Trust of computer systems, especially the one’s we didn’t create could be a major hurdle.

Take-aways for Software Engineers The Semantic Web The core concepts of The Semantic Web can be applied creatively. We can sample and mash-up these concepts. Web 2.0 business have created business value by applying these concepts in simple ways.

The Semantic Web

The core concepts of The Semantic Web can be applied creatively.

We can sample and mash-up these concepts.

Web 2.0 business have created business value by applying these concepts in simple ways.

Knowledge Representation and the Semantic Web by Daniel D. Shaw Thank you!