The RacerPro knowledge representation and reasoning system

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Haarslev, Volker | Hidde, Kay | Möller, Ralf^; | Wessel, Michael

Affiliations: Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal, Quebec H3G 1M8, Canada E-mail: [email protected] | Racer Systems GmbH & Co. KG, Blumenau 50, 22089 Hamburg, Germany E-mail: [email protected] | School of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics, Hamburg University of Technology, Schwarzenbergstr. 95, 21073 Hamburg, Germany | Racer Systems GmbH & Co. KG, Blumenau 50, 22089 Hamburg, Germany E-mail: [email protected]

Note: [] Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: RacerPro is a software system for building applications based on ontologies. The backbone of RacerPro is a description logic reasoner. It provides inference services for terminological knowledge as well as for representations of knowledge about individuals. Based on new optimization techniques and techniques that have been developed in the research field of description logics throughout the years, a mature architecture for typical-case reasoning tasks is provided. The system has been used in hundreds of research projects and industrial contexts throughout the last twelve years. W3C standards as well as detailed feedback reports from numerous users have influenced the design of the system architecture in general, and have also shaped the RacerPro knowledge representation and interface languages. With its query and rule languages, RacerPro goes well beyond standard inference services provided by other OWL reasoners.

Keywords: Ontology reasoning systems, description logic reasoning systems, deduction over Tboxes and Aboxes, expressive ontology-based query answering, Abox abduction

DOI: 10.3233/SW-2011-0032

Journal: Semantic Web, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 267-277, 2012