Mission

The mission of the Semantic Web Fred project is to develop an integrated plaform for task delegation to cooperative agents along with an up to date technology for automated and dynamic Task-Service-Resolution. The objective of the project is to extend the FRED system, developed by Net Dynamics, with technologies emerging in the area of the Semantic Web and Semantic Web Services in order to provide advanced support for Semantic Web applications.

The objective of the Semantic Web Fred project is unique because it combines agent technology with Semantic Web Services technologies. As there is no comparable research or development effort existing that combines these technologies in a coherent manner, the project will have significant impact on the development of runtime enviroments for the Semantic Web.

Approach

The FRED system, developed by Net Dynamics, is an environment for agent-based applications that allows import of ontologies and integration of external Web Services. Moreover, the FRED system integrates technologies for mediation of possibly heterogeneous resources with agent-based techniques for automated execution of tasks, thereby combining the core technologies of the Semantic Web. Thus, the FRED system can serve as an integrated platform for Semantic Web applications. The current status of development of the FRED technology provides a promising architecture, but some technical components are very basic at this point of time.The Web Service Modeling Ontology WSMO is the Semantic Web Services research effort of DERI - Digital Enterprise Research Institute. The aim of research efforts around WSMO is to define an overall framework that covers all aspects relevant for Semantic Web Services, and subsequently develop needed technologies for handling Semantic Web Services.

The Semantic Web Fred project taskes the FRED system and WSMO as a starting point for developement. The outcome of the project will be:

•  A Framework for the SWF which identifies the building blocks and the functionality of the system, comprised of:
  •  Specification of the Task-Service-Resolution Technology
  •  Specification of the Agent Cooperation Technology
  •  Combination of the 2 former aspects into the SWF Framework
•  Implementation of enhanced Task-Service-Resolution Technologies:
  •  Description Language for Goals and Services; Services cane be Plans, Processes, or Web Services.
  •  Enhanced Resolution Mechanisms for Meeting Creation and Service Discovery, as well as basic mediation facilities needed
•  Implementation of enhanced Agent Cooperation Enviroment
•  Showcasing SWF in Use Case Implementations
•  Presentation of SWF and the project results in scientific and industrial boards and events.
  

Project Funding

The Semantic Web Fred Project is funded by the "Wiener Wirtschaftsföderungsfond", the central business and industry development organization of the city of Vienna.

The Semantic Web Fred project is funded within the Co Operate 2003 Programme. Semantic Web Fred was rated as the 2nd best out of 41 presented projects in the call and therefore was rewarded as a laureate of the Call Co Operate 2003.