SeSam4: A new project on tourism and semantic web

SeSam4 is a project financed by the Norwegian Research Council under the VERDIKT programme. The projects main objective is to help provide SMEs with easier tools to realise some of the potentials of semantic technologies.

The main aim of SeSam4 is to allow smaller, specialized groups and organizations to enter the semantic world by providing easy conversion, low-cost solutions and understandable processes.

SeSam4 will contribute to bridge the gap between unstructured, informal indexes generated by current text mining methods, and structured semantic information needed for interoperability between multiple content management systems. The SeSam4 project will establish methods and standards for a simplified, structured, step-by-step process to establish a semantic, manoeuvrable knowledge model for particular business sectors of industries.

The project will set up three cross-sector pilots to demonstrate the practical results of the main project. The3se pilots will also represent a valuable tool for the participants in their market communications. The thematic focus of the pilots will be tourism, construction (buildings), and an online business index. Vestlandsforsking will lead the work with the tourism pilot.

IKT-Norge is the owner of the project and the following partners participate:
The project will base the development on open standards and open source software (OSS) and three demonstrators (pilot implementations) are planned:

1. Tourism pilot (Vestlandsforsking will lead this part of the project)
2. Construction pilot
3. An online business catalog
Prosjektet skal bruka opne standarder og utvikla fri programvare-verktøy som vil gjera det enklere å etablera semantiske løsninger for nettverk og mindre bedrifter. Det skal utviklast tre pilotar i prosjektet innan områda bygg, reiseliv og bedriftstenester/katalogtenester og Vestlandsforsking skal leia arbeidet med reiselivspiloten. Prosjektet går over tre år.

The kick-off meeting was held in the Tropical Museum of Amsterdam (see picture below). Terje Aaberge and Svein Ølnes will work with this project from Vestlandsforsking's side.