Paper #02

M. Missikoff "The Architecture of Harmonise: an Ontology-based Platform for Semantic Interoperability"

Keywords: data integration, interoperability

In this paper the main issues of the Harmonise Platform are illustrated. Harmonise is an IST project aimed at developing an interoperability platform for SMEs in the tourism sector. The Harmonise Platform is an advanced software solution based on the use of computational ontologies, aiming at the reconciliation of conceptual, structural, and formatting differences that hamper information exchange. The Harmonise suite is essentially divided in three parts. The first part is devoted to the construction and maintenance of the tourism ontology: it is based on the ontology system SymOntoX. The second part consists of the systems devoted to customisation: this is a preliminary activity required by a new partner wishing to join the Harminise Community. The third part is a runtime system, essentially a gateway, that in realtime performs the data transformation required by two partners to exchange information while keeping their proprietary data organisation.