Time Period: 01.03.2022 - 30.04.2023
Funding Volume: 89,232.00€
Funded by: The European Social Fund (ESF)
Mittweida
Leipzig
State of research and practice
Data from historical and forensic anthropology and modern forensic medicine (e.g. forensic imaging) allow an understanding of the behavior, lifestyle and culture of humans from different eras. Data from excavations, for example, in which human remains and cultural artefacts, former dwellings etc. are unearthed and examined, thus form the basis for future analyses. From the human remains, conclusions can be drawn about the time and manner of life of the person; bone finds are often available for this purpose. The analysis depends on their classification in the human skeletal system and their description (e.g. degree of wear and tear due to hard working conditions). This annotation is made for each bone and fragment, from which the lifestyle of the person or population (based on a burial ground) can be deduced. Only a uniform classification and annotation using terminologies/ontologies can ensure the comparability of the data and the results derived from them and thus their transparency and sustainability. Terminologies and formal ontologies thus represent a basis for the interoperability of data in accordance with the FAIR principles. Their use in historical and forensic anthropology has two prerequisites.
The relevant terminologies/ontologies must be available electronically with sufficient granularity. The terminologies/ontologies available to date, e.g. Foundation Model of Anatomy (FMA), do not adequately reflect the linguistic world of historical anthropology. The terminologies/ontologies are managed by so-called terminology services. There are various software systems for such services (e.g. BioPortal and Ontology Lookup Service (OLS)), which are available as installations at institutions outside Germany.
However, the installations often focus on other scientific disciplines; historical and forensic anthropology is not yet represented. In addition, the terminology services are not yet synchronized. The project aims to close this “ontological annotation gap”. On the one hand, an ontology is being developed that classifies the skeletal pieces, makes their condition describable and enables measurements to be made on them. The ontology is managed in a terminology service that synchronizes with those of the NFDI.
The aim of the project is to set up a central service for the provision and development of terminologies (terminology service), which will initially be used for anthropology, but can be extended to other branches of science and can thus be further used and reused. Existing software, e.g. OLS, which is also used in the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) initiative or another current initiative, will be used for this purpose. In particular, a synchronization module is to be developed in coordination with the consortia NFDI4Health (in particular the Central Library of Medicine) and NFDI4DataScience (in particular TIB Hannover) so that the terminology service can synchronize with other terminology services. On the other hand, a content-related cooperation will be agreed with Saxon partners (e.g. State Office for Archaeology and Forensic Medicine Institutes) and with the NFDI4Objects consortium, which is currently submitting an application, based on the subsequent use of the terminologies/ontologies offered in the terminology service. To this end, the project aims to define and map the terminology used in historical anthropology in relation to the description of a skeletal system. Based on this, ontologically represented phenotypes can be formed, which can form the basis for further questions. This results not only in interoperability between cooperating institutions in Saxony, but also across Germany and worldwide. In addition, the terminology can be used directly in various software systems (e.g. AnthroWorks3D) to classify and annotate skeletal and bone finds. This software is currently being used to map, annotate and analyze bone finds from various cemeteries in a complex process in the form of a digital twin (still without ontological foundation). In this way, they can be preserved as a 3D model for (researching) posterity, as the bone finds are subsequently reburied for ethical and regulatory reasons. The terminology to be developed thus promotes overarching cooperation between various partners in anthropology in Saxony and beyond.
The description, classification and analysis of bone finds in excavations will be supported by a uniform classification and annotation using terminologies/ontologies and the derivation of ontologically represented phenotypes based on them. Terminologies/ontologies thus provide a basis for the interoperability of the data in accordance with the FAIR principles and enable the comparability, transparency and sustainability of the analysis results.
WP 1: Terminology service concept
WP1 addresses the design of the terminology service. The requirements for both the ontologies to be developed and the terminology service are recorded. To this end, both partners work closely together and coordinate with each other.
WP 2: Selection and use of a terminology service
In WP 2, the terminology service is selected and made available. In consultation with the partners of the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) and the Medical Informatics Initiative (MII), existing software products are identified, from which one is finally selected. This software is installed and synchronization is agreed with the NFDI partners.
WP 3: Ontology development
WP 3 focuses on the development of an ontology for the classification and representation of anatomical features of the skeletal system. The development is based on the concept in WP 1. There is close consultation between the partners; other partners will be involved if necessary in order to gain as broad a user base as possible, which will use the ontology and the software tool AnthroWorks3D after completion of the project. The user base is explicitly not to be limited to Saxon partners.
WP 4: Evaluation & phenotyping
WP 4 evaluates the terminology dictionary and the terminology/ontology developed for the annotation of skeletal finds digitized in advance of the project and for the data-driven derivation of ontologically based phenotypes.
ANNO - ANthropological Notation Ontology
https://annosaxfdm.imise.uni-leipzig.de/