This is an unprecedented time in the history of communications. Electronic resources such as the World Wide Web form a common ground upon which diverse disciplines can exchange digital data and knowledge at previously unheard of rates. Coincidently perhaps, there is a critical need at this time for an infrastructure in the medical imaging research community where image data and, more importantly, knowledge about that data can be shared. The immediate needs for such a system stem from the fact that a better system for evaluation of new image processing methods and new imaging devices is necessary to keep pace with the rapidly advancing technology. The ultimate use of a framework for knowledge sharing, however, rests only on the ingenuity of its users. The overall goal for Phases I and II is to put a prototype Web-based, knowledge sharing framework into place. The framework is designed upon the XML and RDF standards gaining momentum in communities ranging from digital libraries to electronic commerce. Key features of the framework are (1) its ability to search with high accuracy for desired image data, (2) its ability to automatically process data (e.g., co-registration of datasets), and (3) its ability to link ancillary resources such as atlases, literature databases, and NIH's developing E-biomed system.
