Background on Akara
Akara is a re-write of parts the 4Suite project, but with new focus. The core XML component of 4Suite has become Amara, and what was a full-blown Web framework in 4Suite has been pared down to a quick way to wrap functions using Akara as RESTful Web services.
The original port from 4Suite to Akara was jointly sponsored by Cleveland Clinic, and Zepheira. Zepheira's core business is professional services creating semantic annotation features for traditional enterprise and Web apps. What that usually means in practice is incorporating and processing data from diverse sources, and creating mappings and data models that are easy top enhance using semi-formal human annotations. Usually what convinces potential clients is a demonstration, using Akara, of effective data models and transforms (and simple dashboards for accessing these) within 30 minutes or so upon a first meeting.
Used in projects for US Library of Congress, Eli Lilly, Quintiles Transnational, Cleveland Clinic, Thomson/Reuters FindLaw, Elsevier, internal usage at Zepheira, and much more.