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XLAB (UTT-PMI)
Laboratory long name Laboratorio XLAB
Department UTT-PMI    ENEA
Unit Responsible Piero De Sabbata
Unit description X-LAB is a laboratory, situated in Bologna, in the northern Italy, dedicated to the technologies for interoperability and enterprise networking and to their transfer and adoption towards networks of enterprises (mainly manufacturing in textile-clothing, tiles, agrofood and mechanical industry) with a specific focus on standards and on small and middle enterprises (SMEs).

X-LAB is the result of a joint initiative of ENEA (a state owned Italian research instution, www.enea.it) and FTI (Forum per la Tecnologia dell’Informazione, www.forumti.it, a no profit organisation of ICT providers and customers) launched in 2003 and following 13 years of activities of ENEA UTT-PMI unit (already known as UDA-PMI) in the fields of the industrial districts and networks of enterprises in Italy.

Since March 15th 2011 X-LAB is part of the CROSS-TEC Laboratory in the Technopole Manifattura of Bologna of the Regional High Technology Network of the Emilia Romagna region.
Activity The activities of X-LAB can be grouped in four main areas:
  • 1 - technology transfer projects and demonstrators, closely related with territorial demands
    • technology animation and demonstration on local scale (Centro CROSS, LISEA lab) and support to the creation of center of services at district level (TRAME, DDTA Puglia)
    • sectorial specific projects of technology transfer or standard promotion (DDTA-Innovazione Italia)
    • dissemination and training material (paper based or web managed courses) jointly with FAD center of ENEA

  • 2 - Building, promotion and adaptation/contextualisation of interoperability standards and dictionaries
    • promotion or partecipation to the creation of B2B standards (CEN/ISSS TexWeave, Moda-ML, collaborations with OASIS on UBL and ebXML , eBIZ-TCF project, UBL-Italia initiative)
    • awareness creation and fostering the B2B standard adoption (collaborations with Euratex, CEN/ISSS, eBIZ-TCF project)
    • participation to roadmapping activities in the fields of standards and Enterprise interoperability (CEN/ISSS eBIF, eBiz, European Technology Platform for Future Textile Clothing)

  • 3 - Research on Enterprise Interoperability and enterprise networking (collaboration with VLAB.it)
    • Semantic based tools to support new standardisation paradigms
    • ICT support for establishing extended smart organisations and supply networks
      • Collaboration processes modelling and profile/agreement management
      • Self-adapting data exchange interfaces

  • 4 - Research in applications of ICT for energy efficiency (SeesGen).
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Area of Interest From a technological and scientific point of view the main interests are:
  • fully adoption of xml based technologies
  • participation to definition, adaptation and adoption of eBusiness standards (like ebXML and UBL)
  • implementation and development of (demonstrative) tools to facilitate/speed-up the setting up of the collaboration in the enterprise networks
  • ontologies (OWL) to manage from a semantic point of view common dictionaries and ‘document factory’ based upon the dictionaries.


The technological keywords are: XML, Web Services, B2B standards, ebXML, UBL, ontologies and semantic interoperability, virtual organisations.
Equipments The laboratory equipments in short:
  • Laboratory server network.
  • Document factory tools: tools for creation and maintenance of standard o standard-aware data models.
  • Applications and Java libraries to manipolate XML Schema and XML documents.
Outcomes and Results The following results are available for demonstration and test:
  • WEB applications to support ISO TS 15000 implementations (CP-NET)
  • WEB applications to browse ontologies and semantic document modelling (Ontology Explorer)
  • WEB applications for mapping between generic XML formats and UBL (UBLMapper)
  • WEB applications to customise XML Schemas (supporting XML Schema 1.1 - for coconstraints)(CustomXSD,CustomUBL)
  • Ontomoda (set of ontologies, about 4000 terms) on eBusiness for textile clothing industry (OntoModa.owl)
  • WEB applications for safe and reliable messagges exchange based ob SMTP and ebXML (MSH2)
  • WEB applications to validate XML eBIZ-TCF instances, basedc on XML Schema + Schematron (eBIZ-TCF Validator)
Services Services offered by XLAB are accessibile to the tecnica and scientific community (enterprises as well as pubblic administration) that arte interested on these issues.

The laboratory resources are available for:
  • requests for documentation, feasibility study and training,
  • sperimental activities on ICT technologies (including the development of prototypes and demonstrators)
  • development/adaptation of standradised electronic documents; development of their use profiles
  • study and design of pre-competitive architectures for interoperability "XML based"
  • project building and management for pilot projects on interoperability technologies
  • design and pre-competitive development of SW tools supporting interoperability
Papers Arianna Brutti, Piero De Sabbata, Nicola Gessa, Cristiano Novelli and Enrico Del Grosso, "Discovering Potential Synergies between Research Projects and Standardisation, the COIN Case", in On the Move to Meaningful Internet Systems: OTM 2011 Workshops Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2011, Volume 7046/2011, 142-147, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-25126-9_23 (DI720-044, buy it)

Arianna Brutti, Piero De Sabbata, Angelo Frascella, Cristiano Novelli, Nicola Gessa, " Standard for eBusiness in SMEs networks: the increasing role of customization rules and conformance testing tools to achieve interoperability ", in 'Enterprise Interoperability, proceedings of the Workshops of the Third International IFIP Working Conference IWEI 2011', Stockholm, March 22-24 2011, edited by iste Ltd and John Wiley & Sons Inc.2011 Ltd, UK, , ISBN 978-1-84821-317-3. DI720-042

Nicola Gessa, Arianna Brutti, Valentina Cerminara, Piero De Sabbata, Angelo Frascella, Cristiano Novelli, "An environment for a powerful business document schema profiling", in proceedings of e-Challenges 2010', conference, Warsaw, Poland, October 27-29 2010, edited by IIMC, International Information Management Corporation LTD, Dublin, Ireland, ISBN 978-1-905824-20-5. DO720-002

P. De Sabbata, N.Gessa, A.Brutti, C.Novelli, A.Frascella, G.D'Agosta,"Standard creation and adoption for SME networks", in "Interoperability for Enterprise Software and Applications", proceedings of the Workshops and the Doctorial Symposium of the I-ESA International Conference 2010 (Workshop: Standards - a foundation for Interoperability), Coventry, April 13th 2010, pp. 41-51, edited by Hervè Panetto, Nacer Boudjlida, ISTE/Wiley, June 2010, ISBN 978-1-84821-270-1 DI720-025

Brutti, V. Cerminara, G. D'Agosta, P. De Sabbata, N. Gessa, "Use profile management for standard conformant customisation", in "Enterprise Interoperability IV, making the Internet of the future of Enterprise", edited by Keith Popplewell, Jenny Harding, Raul Poler, Ricardo Palmeta, proceedings of I-ESA 2010 Conference, Coventry, April 13-15th 2010, published by Springer-Verlag, London 2010, ISBN 978-1-84996-256-8, e-ISBN 978-1-84996-257-5 DI720-023

P. De Sabbata, A. Brutti, N. Gessa, A. Frascella, C. Novelli, G. D'Agosta, M. Stefanova, V. Cerminara and S. Cristiani. "Promoting Interoperability through Research, Standardisation and Demonstration" in ITAIS 2009, Olbia, October 2-3. Proceedings of 6th Conference of the Italian chapter of AIS, ISBN: 978-88-6105-060-0 (CD) DI720-010

A. Brutti, V. Cerminara, S. Cristiani, P. De Sabbata, N. Gessa, "Use Profile Management for B2B Standard Adoption: The Case of eBIZ-TCF", in proceedings of e-Challenges 2009 conference, Istanbul, Turkey, October 21-23 2009, edited by Paul Cunningham and Miriam Cunningham, IIMC International Information Management Corporation LTD, Dublin, Ireland, IOS PRESS, ISBN 978-1-905824-13-7. DI720-015

Matteo Busanelli, Massimo Bondi, Nicola Gessa, "An Ajax Application To Improve Online Ontology Browsing: Ontology Explorer", in Proceedings of 1st International Conference on Knowledge Management and Information Sharing (KMIS 2009), Funchal - Madeira, Portugal, 6 - 8 October, 2009, pp. 83-88, ISBN: 978-989-674-013-9. DI720-016

P, De Sabbata, N, Gessa, G, D’Agosta, M. Busanelli, C. Novelli, 'Knowledge Exchange Infrastructure to Support Extended Smart Garment Organizations', in 'Transforming Clothing production into a demand driven, knowledge based high tech industry, the Leapfrog Paradigm', edited by Lutz Walter, George-Alexander Kartsounis, Stefano Carosio, Springer Verlag, London, 2009, ISBN 978-1-84882-607-6 DI410-005

M.Busanelli, P. De Sabbata, N. Gessa, C. Novelli, G. D'Agosta, "Supporting Enterprise Network Set Up Combining ebXML, Semantic Tools and Sectorial Standards", in proceedings of e-Challenges 2008 conference, Stockholm, October 22-24 2008, pp. 1061-1068, edited by Paul Cunningham and Miriam Cunningham, IIMC International Information Management Corporation LTD, Dublin, Ireland, IOS PRESS, ISBN 978-1-58603-924-0.DI720-011

P. De Sabbata, M. Scalia, M. Baker, J. Somers, M.Stefanova, A. Brutti, A. Frascella, "eBIZ-TCF: an initiative to improve eAdoption in European Textile/Clothing and Footwear industry", in proceedings of e-Challenges 2008 conference, Stockholm, October 22-24 2008, pp. 1169-1180, edited by Paul Cunningham and Miriam Cunningham, IIMC International Information Management Corporation LTD, Dublin, Ireland, IOS PRESS, ISBN 978-1-58603-924-0.DI720-012

P. De Sabbata, 'Note su processi di collaborazione e reti di fornitura nel tessile abbigliamento', in TECNOMODALAB, Studi su moda e tecnologia', a cura di Livio Billo, Stefano Franzo, pp135-154, edited by CLUEP sc, Padova, 2007, ISBN 978-88-6129-108-9 DI110-049

N. Gessa, M. Busanelli, P. De Sabbata, F. Vitali, "Extracting a semantic view from an ebusiness vocabulary", in proceedings of IEEE International Conference on E-Commerce Technology, San Francisco, California, June 26-29, 2006, pp 398-401, ISBN 0-7695-2511-3.DI720-001

P. De Sabbata, N. Gessa, C. Novelli, A.Frascella, F. Vitali, "B2B: Standardisation or Customistation?", pp 1556-1566, in "Innovation and the Knowledge Economy Issues, Application, Case Studies", e-Challenges 2005 conference, Ljubljiana, October 19-21 2005, edited by Paul Cunningham and Miriam Cunningham, IIMC International Information Management Corporation LTD, Dublin, Ireland, IOS PRESS, ISBN 1-58603-563-0. DI720-013

P. De Sabbata, N. Gessa, G. Cucchiara, T. Imolesi, F. Vitali, "Supporting eBusiness with a dictionary designed in a vertical standardisation perspective", in proceedings of IEEE CEC 2005, 7th International IEEE Conference on E-Commerce Technology, Monaco 19-22 July 2005, published by the IEEE Computer Society Press, ISBN 0-7695-2277-7.DI720-006


Other Italian publications:
- Italian edition of ebXML for manager
- Smart Energy Grids e sicurezza ICT/1, of Angelo Frascella, Andrea gentile, Piero Pozzi, su CyberCrime n.3, Luglio Agosto 2011 preview
- Smart Energy Grids e sicurezza ICT/2, of Angelo Frascella, Andrea gentile, Piero Pozzi, su CyberCrime n.4, Ottobre 2011 preview
- report 'Trends and opportunities in interoperability standardisation, The perspective of the COIN Integrated Research project', Piero De Sabbata, Arianna Brutti, Cristiano Novelli, Roberto V. Zicari click here
Training and Study X-Lab hosts currently students universities for stages and development of projects (mainly from engineering and computer science courses).

Researchers from national and international institutions can be hosted.
Work Opportunities Currently there are not open calls.

Applications for stages for researchers could be evaluated.
Networks X-LAb is connected to international networks:
Through UTT partecipates to the European networks on technology transfer.
Address via Martiri di Monte Sole 4
ZIP 40129
Town Bologna (BO)
URL http://www.xml-lab.it
URL-2 Sito ENEA per le imprese
URL-3 Laboratorio regionale CROSS-TEC
Related web sites


www.ubl-italia.org - Site addressing UBL in Italy, iniziative with documentation and training resources supporting UBL adoption in Italy



www.moda-ml.org - Interoperability Technologies for the European Textile - Clothing sector



www.lisealab.it - Regional laboratory for the Technologies for the sustainable development


www.ebiz-tcf.eu - European initiative for the eBusiness harmonisation for Textile Clothing and Footwear industry



www.texweave.org - European standardisation initiative (CEN/ISSS) for the eBusiness for Textile Clothing industry
Partnership in Projects
Acronym Abstract url_reference start_date
ARTISAN The ARTISAN project envisions significant reductio(...) 02/11/2011
SPES SPES project aims at transferring the approach of (...) 11/04/2011
TECNOPOLO 15/03/2011
TEXWIN Textile Work Intelligence by closed-loop control o(...) http://www.texwin.eu 16/03/2010
SeesGen The main objectives of SEESGEN-ICT consist in prod(...) seesgen-ict.erse-web.it/ 01/05/2009
LISEA LISEA, regional research laboratory, constitued in(...) www.lisealab.it 01/10/2008
eBIZ-TCF Harmonising e-Business processes and data exchange(...) www.ebiz-tcf.eu 01/01/2008
DDTA Creation of Regional Centers of services for B2B (...) 01/01/2007
DEPUIS Promotion and training of Standards to support env(...) standards.eu-innova.org/depuis 01/01/2007
TRAME Subcontracting management and optimisation project(...) trameproject.unile.it 01/01/2006
CROSS Regional Technology Transfer Center.
Textile-clo(...) 		www.cross-lab.it 22/07/2005
Spinner MAPS Spinner AEFFE.Technology transfer project with MAP(...) 09/12/2004
TexWeave Standardisation project (follow up of TexSpin).
D(...) 		www.texweave.org 01/12/2004
Leapfrog CA Leapfrog CA, (FP6 NMP-IST), Coordinating action. D(...) www.leapfrog-eu.org 01/06/2004
Leapfrog IP LeapFRog IP (FP6-NMP) Integrated Research project,(...) www.leapfrog-eu.org 01/04/2004
Spinner AEFFE Spinner AEFFE.Technology transfer project with Gru(...) 17/12/2003
XLAB/Moda-ML Moda-ML Iniziative about Interoperability for the (...) www.moda-ml.org 01/05/2003
TexSpin TexSpin.CEN/ISSS workshop: creation of a pre-norma(...) 15/03/2002
Moda-ML Moda-ML, FP5 ICT Take Up action: a common language(...) www.moda-ml.org 01/07/2001
AIR Innovation project towards clothing industry, Biel(...)
TQR Innovation project towards textile industry, Biell(...) www.tqr.it

Researchers, Contact persons
Outcomes and delverables
Title Abstract Keywords WEB Page Link
ebXML Tools: CP-NET CP-NET (Collaboration Protocol - Networking Enterprises Technology) is a software application set to enable enterprises, cooperating through a collaborative framework ebXML-based, to achieve and to perform Business Collaborations. ebxml, interoperability, collaboration modelling, interorganisation agreements click here to see the web page
Ontology Explorer The Ontology Explorer is a web tool with a dynamic interface and based on the last AJAX technologies (GWT) for the visualization, the navigation and the research on every OWL Ontology in the Web. OWL Ontology AJAX GWT click here to see the web page
CustomXSD CustomXSD is a web application for the consultation, the exhaustive navigation and customization of XML Schema documents through the definition of simple constraints and co-constraint (XML Schema 1.1)..

 		click here to see the web page Click qui per avviare CustomXSD
MSH2 MSH2 is a Message Service Handler implementation supporting ebxml Message Service (ebMS) specification and SMTP communication protocol.
MSH2 is developed in Visual Basic .NET language with MS Visual Studio 2005, it is a part of CP-NET.

click here to see the web page MSH2 Functionality tour
CustomUBL CustomUBL is an on-line application designed and developed to enable the consultation, navigation and customization of UBL schema documents through the introduction of simple constraints and co-constraint.
 		XSD XML SCHEMA 1.1 editor coconstraint UBL click here to see the web page link per avviare CustomUBL
eBIZ-TCF Validator An on-line tool to validate conformance of electronic documents in eBIZ-TCF (Moda-ML, Shoenet, UBL eBIZ-TCF).
 		click here to see the web page http://spring.bologna.enea.it/eBIZ-TCFVAlidator.asp




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