BrainML is a developing initiative to provide a standard XML metaformat for exchanging neuroscience data. It focuses on layered definitions built over a common core in order to support community-driven extension. BrainML when complete will serve as:

• an open and non-formal functional ontology for neuroscience
• a data description language for interoperability among neuroscience resources
• an interface for exchange of data, metadata, queries, tools, and models
• a substrate for describing the contents of journal articles
• a link to other XML-based description languages for scientific interchange

BrainML is being designed around several key modules and technologies:

• a design and semantics determined by the standards and practices of neuroscience
• our Quintessence type hierarchies: for data, entities, references, models, and methods
• BrainMetaL, a metalanguage embodying abstract semantics for scientific data
• attribute-specific datatype slots, attributes, and hierarchies, to give is-a and has-a context and selectable specificity
• XML, for universality and available tools
• XML namespaces, to enable interconvertible dialects
• XML Schema, to provide layered extensibility

For more information on BrainML and to view BrainML models, go to BrainML.org.