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Anatomical information science

  • Barry Smith
  • , Jose L.V. Mejino
  • , Stefan Schulz
  • , Anand Kumar
  • , Cornelius Rosse
  • University of Washington
  • University of Freiburg
  • Saarland University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Foundational Model of Anatomy (FMA) is a map of the human body. Like maps of other sorts - including the map-like representations we find in familiar anatomical atlases - it is a representation of a certain portion of spatial reality as it exists at a certain (idealized) instant of time. But unlike other maps, the FMA comes in the form of a sophisticated ontology of its object-domain, comprising some 1.5 million statements of anatomical relations among some 70,000 anatomical universals or kinds. It is further distinguished from other maps in that it represents not some specific portion of spatial reality (say: Leeds in 1996), but rather the generalized or idealized spatial reality associated with a generalized or idealized human being at some generalized or idealized instant of time. It will be our concern in what follows to outline the approach to ontology that is represented by the FMA and to argue that it can serve as the basis for a new type of anatomical information science. We also draw some implications for our understanding of spatial reasoning and spatial ontologies in general.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSpatial Information Theory - International Conference, COSIT 2005, Proceedings
PublisherSpringer Verlag
Pages149-164
Number of pages16
ISBN (Print)354028964X, 9783540289647
DOIs
StatePublished - 2005
EventInternational Conference on Spatial Information Theory, COSIT 2005 - Ellicottville, NY, United States
Duration: Sep 14 2005Sep 18 2005

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume3693 LNCS
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)1611-3349

Conference

ConferenceInternational Conference on Spatial Information Theory, COSIT 2005
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityEllicottville, NY
Period09/14/0509/18/05

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