Promoter - Information technology, research and innovation

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Objective of the HarmoSearch project - Harmonised Semantic Meta-Search in Distributed Heterogeneous Databases - is the analysis and development of a platform-independent search mechanism for tourism services in heterogeneous data bases, based on techniques of the areas semantic web and schema matching. Main research activities are the development of a (semi-) automatic mapping tool, which allows users to generate mappings without any technological knowledge or mapping skills, and a semantic meta-search component, based on a semantic registry, to address scientific issues like mapping of search queries and intelligent routing to appropriate data sources.

HarmoSearch is based on the work of past projects and activities, like Harmonise (IST 2000-29329), Harmo-TEN (eTEN C510828), a CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA 15992:2009 E), activities of the non-profit HarmoNET association, the euromuse.net project (eTEN C046229) and portals like e.g. VisitEurope.com.

This project brings together five SME partners with a history in the domain and of which some have already made investments in the Harmonise system in the past: [x+o], eCTRL, EC3Networks, Musuemsmedien and Afidium. The research and technical development is carried out by the two RTD partners Promoter srl and Technical University of Wien, while SPK and Harmonet represent players from the tourism sector (HarmoNET) and cultural heritage (SPK) and contribute to the project by bringing in market interests, views from users and real business cases to design the new components according to market needs.

Research program: FP7-SME-2010-1

Budget: 1.2 Million Euro