-- RobAllan - 08 Aug 2006

David Shotton

BioImageWeb: An interoperable resource registry for biological images available from institutional repositories, on-line journals and research collections

A data web is a new concept in digital information storage and integration, made possible by using lightweight Semantic Web tools to integrate metadata describing distributed data into a central searchable registry. We propose to develop BioImageWeb, a data web of digital images arising from biological research that are stored in institutional repositories, on publishers Web sites in association with scientific journal articles, and in research collections such as those of the Natural History Museum. The BioImageWeb Registry will provide an integrated cross-searchable access point to all registered images, thus facilitating access to them and enabling presently impossible meta-research. The primary image holders will benefit by increased Web traffic totheir sites, while at the same time being able to maintain normal copyright and access control.