MAster assignment
Ontology simulation without tears: Simulation scenarios for domain ontologies
Type: Master CS or Master BIT
Period: Start date: as soon as possible
Student: Unassigned
Research area: FAIR - Ontologies - Digital Twins
If you are interested please contact:
Description:
In recent years, OntoUML became the most used language for ontology-driven conceptual modeling, having been applied in numerous academic and industrial projects in a wide range of domains. To assist OntoUML users in developing high-quality models, several verification and validation tools have been developed over the years. In this paper, we focus on one such tool, named visual model simulation. It allows users to automatically generate and visually inspect possible instances of their models so that they can assess if these match the state-of-affairs they intended to represent. This simulation tool works by transforming OntoUML models into specifications in a logic-based language called Alloy, which are then fed to the Alloy Analyzer. For a significant number of users, however, using this tool showed to be very challenging. This was mostly because, to really benefit from it, they needed to be well-versed in Alloy and understand the inner-workings of the underlying OntoUML to Alloy transformation. In this project, we will address this issue by developing a set of parameterizable Alloy expressions that users can combine to restrict the instances generated by the simulation tool. We will also develop an application that allows users to instantiate these expressions, feed them to the simulation tool, and inspect the results without ever having to interact with the underlying Alloy code. With this tool we aim to make the overall experience of using the tool less painful and more efficient to all.
Methodology: Design-science research
Required knowledge and skills:
- First-order Logic
- Programming
- Conceptual modeling with OntoUML
- Alloy
References
- https://alloytools.org/
- Jackson, D. (2012). Software Abstractions: logic, language, and analysis. MIT press.
- Benevides, A. B., Guizzardi, G., Braga, B. F. B., & Almeida, J. P. A. (2010). Validating Modal Aspects of OntoUML Conceptual Models Using Automatically Generated Visual World Structures. J. Univers. Comput. Sci., 16(20), 2904-2933.
- Guizzardi, G., Fonseca, C. M., Almeida, J. P. A., Sales, T. P., Benevides, A. B., & Porello, D. (2021). Types and taxonomic structures in conceptual modeling: a novel ontological theory and engineering support. Data & Knowledge Engineering, 134, 101891.
- Sales, T. P. (2014). Ontology validation for managers. MSc Thesis.