Scaling Up Question-Answering to Linked Data

Linked Data semantic sources, in particular DBpedia, can be used to answer many user queries. PowerAqua is an open multi-ontology Question Answering (QA) system for the Semantic Web (SW). However, the emergence of Linked Data, characterized by its openness, heterogeneity and scale, introduces a new dimension to the Semantic Web scenario, in which exploiting the relevant information to extract answers for Natural Language (NL) user queries is a major challenge. In this paper we discuss the issues and lessons learned from our experience of integrating PowerAqua as a front-end for DBpedia and a subset of Linked Data sources. As such, we go one step beyond the state of the art on end-users interfaces for Linked Data by introducing mapping and fusion techniques needed to translate a user query by means of multiple sources. Our first informal experiments probe whether, in fact, it is feasible to obtain answers to user queries by composing information across semantic sources and Linked Data, ...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2010
• Where: EKAW
• Authors: Vanessa Lopez, Andriy Nikolov, Marta Sabou, Victoria S. Uren, Enrico Motta, Mathieu d'Aquin
• Keywords: EKAW 2010, Information Technology, Semantic, Semantic Sources, Semantic Web