[CFP] 2nd Workshop on Downscaling the Semantic Web - DownScale2013 || September 19, 2013 - Geneva, Switzerland

(Apologies for cross-posting)

= CALL FOR PAPERS =

Second International Workshop on Downscaling the Semantic Web - DownScale2013
19th September 2013.  Co-located with the Open Knowledge Conference,
16th-18th September Geneva, Switzerland

http://worldwidesemanticweb.org/downscale2013


= WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION=

Knowledge acquisition is a necessary and first condition for the
empowerment of individuals. The need for appropriate and effective
knowledge sharing is universal and global. Linked Data and Semantic
technologies provide great potentials for carrying out those tasks.
While mainstream Semantic Web research and development is moving
vertiginously (focusing mainly on centralized and very powerful
infrastructure and services in highly endowed application domains and
regions where does not seem to be constraints), little work seems to
be done on the applications of these and more appropriate technologies
to less connected scenarios and challenged regions where new knowledge
means day to day sustenance, survival, or to exercise rights.

Indeed, 4 Billion people who don’t have access to Internet or whose
Internet connectivity is limited by bandwidth, quality of service,
government or natural blockades, and modern device availability and
affordability would welcome innovative solutions that are fit to their
situation. The reality is that it will be tens of years until these
subsets of the population enjoy the same level of Internet experience
that most of the western population enjoys and takes it for granted.
Thus it is important to consider these stakeholders in the development
of solutions that center around Linked Data. For that purpose, we
identify three major aspects that need to be addressed when bringing
Linked Data to everyone: Infrastructure, interfaces, and content
sharing.

* Infrastructure:
Current design of platforms and utilities that make use of Linked Data
assume the availability of a Web infrastructure encompassing
centralized data-centers, high speed reliable Internet connectivity,
and powerful modern client devices. The implications can be serious:
If any of these necessary conditions is missing, end users are unable
to be served of the benefits that Linked Data provides. This is not
only relevant in natural disaster scenarios but also in the reality of
daily life of billions of people. Solutions that are less centralized
and do not require constant connectivity are required, among others.

* Interfaces:
Literacy and language barriers currently prevent many people to reap
the benefits of the World Wide Web, including knowledge acquisition,
participation, and the exchange of ideas. Data-driven solutions such
as Linked Data, being language-agnostic, provide huge potentials for
the implementation of relevant interfaces for information sharing
services, allowing more people to reap its benefits. Voice
technologies, icon/symbol-based interfaces, touch interfaces, all
provide unprecedented potentials, in the context of their power and
lowering cost.

* Sharing of appropriate content:
Context and culture awareness are key for developing (Linked) Open
Data applications. To ensure local uptake, it is paramount to identify
relevant knowledge that is valuable to a community or a group,
including local language to symbol appropriatedness. While
western-oriented approaches might seem globally applicable, the
reality is otherwise. Linked data provides a huge potential in that
context.

This half-day workshop seeks to provide first steps in exploring
appropriate requirements, technologies, processes and applications for
the deployment of semantic Web technologies in constrained scenarios,
taking into consideration local contexts. For instance, making
Semantic Web platforms usable under limited computing power and
limited access to Internet, with context-specific interfaces.


= TOPICS =

Topics of the workshop include, but are not limited to:

* Offline linked data storage/synchronisation
* Energy-efficient storage of data, i.e. low resource demanding triple stores
* Application of Semantic Web to disaster data management
* Utilization of Off-line linked data in disaster scenarios
* Innovative linked data interfaces for illiterate and/or young users
* Solutions for sharing locally relevant knowledge
* Decentralised data management platforms
* Collaborative, decentralised, educational software


= SUBMISSIONS =

We welcome:
* Short papers that present downscaled versions of previously
published systems, accommodation of current mainstream technologies to
constrained scenarios, specific cultures, languages, situations.
* Position and systems papers presenting novel ideas and approaches.
* Demo papers describing a working application or prototype that can
be demonstrated during the workshop and fits its scope.
* Others

Short papers are expected to be 2-4 pages in length, not exceeding 5
pages. Submissions should be formatted using Springer’s Lecture Notes
in Computer Science (LNCS) formatting guide. Submissions are managed
via EasyChair: <
https://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=downscale2013>


= INVITED SPEAKERS AND SCHEDULE=

* Invited speaker: Stephane Boyera, SB Consulting (SBC4D)
* This is a half-day workshop (08.00-13.00). A detailed schedule will
be made available on the workshop website
(http://worldwidesemanticweb.org/downscale2013)


= IMPORTANT DATES =

* Abstract submission deadline:  August 18, 2013
* Notifications: August 30, 2013
* Camera ready version: Sept 6, 2013
* Workshop date: Morning, September 19, 2013


= WORKSHOP CHAIRS =

* Victor de Boer, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands <v.de.boer@vu.nl>
* Martin Murillo, IEEE Data Connectivity for Rural Areas Initiative,
Canada <murillo@ieee.org>


= PROGRAMME COMMITTEE =

* Anna Bon, CIS Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands
* Victor de Boer, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands
* Stephane Boyera, SB Consulting, France
* Philippe Cudré-Mauroux, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
* Gianluca Demartini, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
* Maria Esther Vidal, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Venezuela
* Christophe Guéret, Data Archiving and Networked Services, Netherlands
* Bastien Guerry, Association OLPC France, France
* Jérôme David, INRIA Grenoble – Rhône-Alpes, France
* Laurens Rietveld, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands
* Mathieu D’Aquin, KMi Open University, UK
* Andreas Thor, University of Leipzig
* Wolfgang Nejdl, L3S Research Center
* Ivana Marenzi, L3S Research Center
* Martin Murillo, IEEE Data Connectivity for Rural Areas Initiative, Canada
* Elena Simperl, KIT Karlsruhe
* Jean Thiery, Association OLPC France, France
* Arjen P. de Vries, CWI, Netherlands


Best regards,

Martin and Victor

Received on Wednesday, 31 July 2013 14:24:30 UTC