Modeling scientific experiments with an object data model

Abstract

We examine the main requirements for modeling scientific experiments and propose constructs that fulfil these requirements. We show that existing object-oriented and semantic data models do not provide such constructs. Experiment (protocol) and object constructs can be combined in order to provide seamless object and experiment modeling. We present an example of combining protocol and object constructs into a unified framework, the Object-Protocol Model (OPM), and briefly describe the implementation of an OPM interface on top of commercial relational database management systems (DBMSs).<>