towards a semantic wiki for science

Towards aSemantic Wiki

for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics

SemanticSocialSoftware

SWiM+

Prototype

KnowledgeRepresentation

Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Towards a Semantic Wiki for ScienceResearch Proposal for a Ph.D. thesis

Christoph Lange

Jacobs University Bremen(formerly International University Bremen)

February 28, 2007

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http://www.iu-bremen.de


for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Abstract

A semantic wiki for science — think “Wikipedia++”Represent scientific knowledge. . . which can be utilised by services. . . in a collaborative environment

How to motivate users to contribute?Work plan towards the creation of SWiM+, theSemantic Wiki for Mathematics and Other Sciences:

Give the user services that exploit the knowledgeAccess knowledge via “System Ontology” abstraction layer

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Wikis in Science and Education

Everything: e.g. WikipediaDomain-specific: e.g. PlanetMathAnyone can contribute ,

Quick and easyCreate new knowledge . . .. . . or learn by browsing or searching

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Wiki: Nice for Humans, but . . .

Imagine a scholar searching for:\sqrt{a^2 + b^2} = c, or: x^2 + y^2 = z^2all theorems about triangles for which a proof exists

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Semantic Markup

Explicit markup of structures helps machines. . . e.g. intelligent search engines

Tell the machine what you mean (= semantics). . . not what it looks like!

Markup languages available for:Mathematics: Content MathML, OpenMath, OMDoc, . . .Physics: PhysMLChemistry: CMLGeodata: GML, SensorML, MarineML, ESML, . . .From top to bottom (roughly): less structures, more dataTechnology transfer: mathematics −→ other sciences

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Semantic Markup Allows for Inference

Some dependencies among physical and mathematical theories(think “course modules”):

MP3audio

discretecosine

transform

depends on

(cf. ActiveMath [Melis et al., 2004])Inference gives you more output than input.

“I want to learn more about MP3 audio compression!”“Fine, but do you know what an orthogonal matrix is?”

Description logic (DL) reasoners to this efficiently.

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion



MP3audio

discretecosine

transform

depends on orthogonalmatrix

depends on




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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion



MP3audio

discretecosine

transform

depends on orthogonalmatrix

depends on

depends on (transitive)




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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Semantic Markup: Who Wants to Write it?

Pythagoras’ theorem again, in OMDoc/OpenMath:

<theorem id="pythagoras"><CMP>In a rectangled triangle, ...</CMP><FMP>

<OMOBJ><OMA>

<OMS cd="relation" name="eq"/><OMA>

<OMS cd="arith" name="plus"/><OMA>

<OMS cd="arith" name="power"/><OMV name="a"/><OMI>2</OMI>

</OMA><OMA>

<OMS cd="arith" name="power"/><OMV name="b"/><OMI>2</OMI>

</OMA></OMA><OMA>

<OMS cd="arith" name="power"/><OMV name="c"/><OMI>2</OMI>

</OMA></OMA>

</OMOBJ></FMP>

</theorem>

Theorem (pythagoras)In a rectangled triangle, . . .a2 + b2 = c2

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Semantic Markup: Who Wants to Write it?

Pythagoras’ theorem again, in OMDoc/OpenMath:

<theorem id="pythagoras"><CMP>In a rectangled triangle, ...</CMP><FMP>

<OMOBJ><OMA>

<OMS cd="relation" name="eq"/><OMA>

<OMS cd="arith" name="plus"/><OMA>

<OMS cd="arith" name="power"/><OMV name="a"/><OMI>2</OMI>

</OMA><OMA>

<OMS cd="arith" name="power"/><OMV name="b"/><OMI>2</OMI>

</OMA></OMA><OMA>

<OMS cd="arith" name="power"/><OMV name="c"/><OMI>2</OMI>

</OMA></OMA>

</OMOBJ></FMP>

</theorem>

Theorem (pythagoras)In a rectangled triangle, . . .a2 + b2 = c2

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

The Semantic Author’s Dilemma

macro-perspective: “OK, if I make the effort, others can findmy formulæ using Google++”

micro-perspective: “. . . but what do I gain from it?”

Give the author added value in his particular situation![A. Kohlhase, Müller 2007]

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Semantic Social Software

[Spivack 2003, Schaffert 2006]Here: Semantic Wiki + OMDoc and relativesIntegrate services, share their added value with the user

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Applications of SWiM+: Stakeholder Analysis

SWiM+

• Semantic Markup• Services

Scientists• Research• Collaboration

Scholars• Learn• Search/Find

Semantic Web• Access• Reuse

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Applications of SWiM+: Science

Scientists want to formalise their ideas and develop theoriescollaboratively.

Example

E. In. Stein wants to elaborate on his hypotheses about“relativity”. . . and decides to build on the theory of “gravitation”. . . developed by his colleague N. Ew. Ton. . . which is still under development, though!If Ton changes some basic assumptions on gravitation,. . . Stein’s considerations might become invalid.

SWiM+ must be able to manage dependencies!(cf. [Müller 2006])

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Applications of SWiM+: Education

Adapt to the previous knowledge of a learnerNeeds to find what he wants by browsing or searchingAn example from algebra (each theory on one wiki page):

ring group

monoid

semigroup

I already know theconcepts dependedupon

Show me the di-rect dependencies!(group and monoid)

Show me all depen-dencies! (semigroup,too)

I want to know, butremind me later

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Applications of SWiM+: Semantic Web

Weave the Semantic Web with SWiM+ — make scientificknowledge reusable on the web

Export knowledge extracted from markup to standardformats (RDF)

. . . which can be imported into other Semantic Webapplications

Integrate external servicese.g. MathWebSearch, our formula search engine[M. Kohlhase, Șucan 2006]

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

SWiM (SWaM?) Prototype = IkeWiki + OMDoc

First experiment (my diploma thesis)editing, presentation, navigation; partial system ontology

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Scientific Knowledge Representation

I assume three levels of scientific knowledge [M. Kohlhase,2006]:

Objects symbols, numbers, equations, molecules, . . .Statements axioms, hypotheses, measurement results,

examples; relationships: “proves”, “defines”,“exemplifies”, . . .

Theories collections of interrelated statements, determinecontext: “What does the symbol h mean?”

Successfully applied to mathematicsOMDoc (M. Kohlhase)Transferred to physics with small additionsPhysML (Stamerjohanns et al.)Anticipation: also valid for chemistry (Murray-Rust),geosciences (Baumann, Unnithan), . . .

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

System Ontology

Ontology: formal, explicit specification of aconceptualisation (of a specific domain)System ontology (here): ontology of the systems builtaround a markup language (meta level!)

DefinesModels

}how to represent knowledge in

{OMDocMaths

Theory

Statement

Symbol

Definition

Example

Assertion

Proof

importslives in

is a

is a is a

is a

is a provesdefined by

exemplifies

exemplifies exemplifies

OWL-DLimplementation,with generic relationtypes dependencyand containment(both transitive)

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Where is the Knowledge?

Semantic wiki: One page = one conceptSWiM+: One page = one statement or theory(small, reusable pages, but not too small)Semantic Web tools need more explicit representation ofthe knowledge (extract from markup!)

Example

A wiki page:

<omdoc><proof id="pyth-proof"for="pythagoras">...

</proof></omdoc>

Extracted RDF triples (=̂ graph):

pyth-proof pythagoras

Proof Theorem

type typeproves

proves

<pyth-proof, rdf:type, omdoc:Proof><pyth-proof, omdoc:proves, pythagoras>

(omdoc:* → OMDoc system ontology)20 / 28



for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Service Programming Interface: Access theKnowledge

Make generic services work for all markup languages(= all scientific domains)

“SciML” researchers will identify common traits of thesystem ontologies (expected: theory/statement/object,containment, dependency)Formalise that upper system ontology for SWiM+!

Analyse services to design programming interface:What knowledge do they need? Inference required?

Also model a system ontology of the wiki;inference over both

Many user questions to a proof page ⇒ must be hard tounderstand ⇒ auto-create examples for special cases

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Which Services? Added Value?

Plan services using added-value analysis[A. Kohlhase/Müller 2007]:

1 Core problem2 Core solution3 Benefits/sacrifices4 . . . may trigger new core problems

Their objective: Motivate user to take action!Provide benefits while the user contributes

In semantic wikis also: instant gratification“Thanks for your contribution, and look . . . ”

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Example: Auto-Completion Service

Support easy linking (wiki ,)facilitate editing text (markup /)Suggest links to appropriate targets

<proof for="p_

Find all known instances of the range of the relationProof–proves–? starting with “p”First service to be implemented, because:

does not require DL reasoning (no transitivity)easy to evaluate productivity of volunteers

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion



<proof for="p_

partial-diff-eqnprotonpythagoras



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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion



<proof for="p_

partial-diff-eqnprotonpythagoras



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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

More Ideas for Services

Already specified:Dependency Management: simple assistance(later: locutor [Müller 2006])Dependency Graph Navigation (see above)“Edit-in-place” (section-wise editing of long documents)

Planned:QMath, an easy syntax for formulaeMathWebSearch interface

Added-value analysis will give more ideas.

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Case Studies

Science Our group is working on the cross-domainintegration of scientific markup languagestest SWiM+ in a heterogeneous environment

Education M. Kohlhase’s slides for “General ComputerScience” available as sTEX (OMDoc-likeLATEX)convert, import, evaluate learning andinteraction services

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for Science

Ch. Lange

Abstract

Wikis

Semantics


SWiM+

Prototype


Services

Case Studies

Conclusion

Better Wikipedia, Better Semantic Web

break

-even

sacrifice

benefit

WWW(Web 1.0)

Wikipedia

Formal MethodsSWiM+

(2009)

Semantic Web(today)

my challenge

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towards a semantic wiki for science

Technology

semantic wikifor sciencech

semantic markuptowards

prototype knowledge

new knowledge

semantics semantics

transitive swim

creation of swim

applications of swim