Scope

This seminar is concerned with advanced topics in services computing, in particular the discovery and automated composition of web services. There are thousands of web services for a huge variety of applications and described in different formats. Web service descriptions in XML-based WSDL, WADL, or REST APIs do not provide any formal service semantics. From the strong AI perspective, that makes it hard for intelligent applications to understand, discover, and compose heterogeneous services. On the other hand, in the semantic web, service semantics are described with formal ontology-based service description languages like OWL-S, WSML, and SA-WSDL. For both, web services and semantic web services, there are quite sophisticated methods, techniques, and tools for their discovery and composition available. In this seminar, we will take a closer look at some of them, and discuss their strength and weaknesses in theory and practice.

The seminar type is classic in the sense that registered participants will present and discuss assigned topics. All certificates for successful participation in the seminar will be marked. The seminar counts 7 ECTS credit points.

Prerequisites

This seminar aims primarily at advanced master students in computer science who preferably hold a B.Sc. degree in this or related field. Solid knowledge in Artificial Intelligence, semantic web, and web services is required. References to surveys of relevant fields of the seminar are given on the topic page and expected to be read by registered participants in due course of their preparation for the seminar. Attendance of the seminar without registration (no presentation and certificate) by anyone who is interested in the topics is, of course, very much welcome but subject to available space. The seminar language is English.

Introductory Meeting

The available topics of the seminar are briefly introduced and assigned to participants in the introductory meetings on

1. February 18, 2016, 4pm - 6pm
2. April 7, 2016, 4pm - 6pm, DFKI (Campus Bldg D3.2), Room +2.07

Seminar Date and Location

The seminar is held weekly on Thursday from 4pm to 6pm, at DFKI in room “Turing 1” (NB R +2.30). The new building of DFKI (NB, Campus building D3.4) can be accessed via the entrance of the DFKI main building D3.2. You may ask at the reception in the lobby of D3.2 for further directions. Please check the seminar schedule regularly for changes.

Registration and Topic Assignment

For registration requests, please send the following complete (1-6) information to klusch@dfki.de:
(1) Full name (first name, surname); (2) Enrollment number (Matrikulationsnummer); (3) Contact details (email, phone, mail address); (4) Course of studies, current semester; (5) List of attended courses and, if applicable, seminars with marks; (6) Preferred topic (or ordered list of topics) for a seminar talk (check selection of available topics). Please note that incomplete registration requests will not be considered.

Assignment of topics will be done in the introductory meetings untill all (13) time slots are filled but until April 20, 2016, very latest. We initially offer more topics than time slots are available.

Notification about your registration request and topic assignment will be sent to you by the seminar head in reply to your email until April 20, 2016 latest.

Important:

• If your participation in the seminar is confirmed by the seminar head then your registration to the seminar in HISPOS until April 20, 2016 is mandatory for full registration. Please note the official 3-weeks-rejection period according to the examination regulation for seminars counts from the date of the first introductory meeting and topic assignment.
• Registration to the seminar in HISPOS without prior confirmation by the seminar head is not valid and will not be  accepted by the examination office