Actions

Ontolog Forum

Ontology Summit 2015 : Internet of Things: Toward Smart Networked Systems and Societies

The OntologySummit is an annual series of events (first started by Ontolog and NIST in 2006) that involves the ontology community and communities related to each year's theme chosen for the summit. The Ontology Summit program is now co-organized by Ontolog, NIST, NCOR, NCBO, IAOA, NCO_NITRD along with the co-sponsorship of other organizations that are supportive of the Summit goals and objectives.


Description

We are witnessing a new revolution in computing and communication. The Internet, which has spanned several networks in a wide variety of domains, is having a significant impact on every aspect of our lives. The next generation of networks will utilize a wide variety of resources with significant sensing capabilities. Such networks will extend beyond physically linked computers to include multimodal information from biological, cognitive, semantic, and social networks. This paradigm shift will involve symbiotic networks of people, intelligent devices, and mobile personal computing and communication devices (mPCDs), which will form net-centric societies or smart networked systems and societies (SNSS). mPCDs are already equipped with a myriad of sensors, with regular updates of additional sensing capabilities. Additionally, we are witnessing the emergence of “intelligent devices,” such as smart meters, smart cars, etc., with considerable sensing and networking capabilities. Hence, these devices – and the network -- will be constantly sensing, monitoring, and interpreting the environment – this is sometimes referred to as the Internet of Things. And as local and wide area networks became almost secondary to the WWW (World-Wide Web), users and their usage patterns will become increasingly visible. This will have significant implications for both the market for advanced computing and communication infrastructure and the future markets – for nearly 4.5 billion people -- that net-centric societies will create.

Well-designed and constructed net-centric societies will result in better quality of life, reduced threat from external sources, and improved commerce. For example, assume a scenario where people at various locations suffer from flu-like symptoms. In a net-centric society, mPCDs will send vital signs and other associated information to appropriate laboratories and medical centers. These centers will analyze the information, including searching the Internet for potential solutions, and will aid in determining possible causes for this phenomenon. Based on the diagnosis, people will be directed to the nearest clinic for treatment. Here we have several types of information flowing through the net: data from mPCDs; location information; images; video; audio; etc.

Ontologies will play a significant role in the realization of SNSS. For example, a considerable amount of data passes through the network and should be converted into higher abstractions that can be used in appropriate reasoning. This requires the development of standard terminologies which capture objects and events. Creating and testing such terminologies will aid in effective recognition and reaction in a network-centric situation awareness environment. This would involve identifying a methodology for development of terminologies for multimodal data (or ontologies), developing appropriate ontologies, developing testing methods for these ontologies, demonstrating interoperability for selected domains (e.g., healthcare, situational awareness), and using these ontologies in decision making.

Process and Deliverables

Similar to our last nine summits, this OntologySummit will comprise of three months of virtual discourse (over our archived mailing lists) and virtual panel sessions (over augmented conference calls), and culminate in a 2-day face-to-face workshop/symposium held on April 13 & 14, 2015 (Mon & Tue) at NCO_NITRD (Arlington, Virginia, USA) during which we, among other things, present our distilled thoughts in a collaboratively developed communiqué.

Structure and Discourse

Resource Pages

Next Session

What's New

Calendar of Events

  • Ontology Summit 2015 Track A (Ontology Integration in IoT ): Thu 05-Feb-2015
  • Ontology Summit 2015 Track C (Decision Making in Different Domains ): Thu 12-Feb-2015
  • Ontology Summit 2015 Synthesis I: Thu 19-Feb-2015
  • Ontology Summit 2015 Track D (Related Standards and Synergies for Emerging IoT Ontologies ): Thu 26-Feb-2015
  • Ontology Summit 2015 Track B (Beyond Semantic Sensor Network Ontologies ): Thu 05-Mar-2015
  • Ontology Summit 2015 Track A (Ontology Integration in IoT): Thu 12-Mar-2015
  • Ontology Summit 2015 Track C (Decision Making in Different Domains ): Thu 19-Mar-2015
  • Ontology Summit 2015 Synthesis II and Communiqué Discussion: Thu 26-Mar-2015
  • Ontology Summit 2015 Communiqué review: Thu 2-Apr-2015
  • Ontology Summit 2015 Symposium Logistics: Thu 9-Apr-2015
  • Ontology Summit Symposium 13-14 April-2015