VacSeen: A Linked Data-Based Information Architecture to Track Vaccines Using Barcode Scan Authentication Partha S Bhattacharjee 1⋆ , Monika Solanki 2 , Rahul Bhattacharyya 1 , Isaac Ehrenberg 1 , and Sanjay Sarma 1 1 Auto ID Labs, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States 2 Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom parthasb@mit.edu, monika.solanki@cs.ox.ac.uk, {rahul_b,yitzi,sesarma}@mit.edu Abstract. Renewed global efforts to deploy Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) technologies, such as barcodes, on vaccine packaging in developing countries are currently underway. An opportu- nity to evaluate Linked Data technologies for generating an ecosystem of data connectedness and interoperability in the vaccine supply chain presents itself. We discuss the VacSeen project, a Linked Data-based in- formation system to track vaccines through visualization and authen- tication of barcode scans on vaccine packaging using mobile phones. The project is aimed at enabling endeavors such as logistical planning and integration with health information systems, demand forecasting, anti- counterfeiting and diversion measures, and post-marketing surveil- lance by pharmaceutical companies, supply chain contractors, and public health agencies. By forming an abstraction layer over siloed data while necessitating minimal modification of existing architecture, VacSeen can help minimize the technical, operational, and political friction often asso- ciated with fostering data interoperability. We discuss VacSeen’s software architecture and present sample data analytics that highlight VacSeen’s ability to facilitate the interoperability of diverse and non-standardized data sources. Limitations of the current framework and areas of future exploration and expansion are also discussed. Keywords: Vaccine, Supply Chain, Event Modeling, EEM, LOD Cloud, Barcode, RDBMS2RDF 1 Background and Related Work Vaccines have been globally recognized as a critical public health intervention [1]. Though vaccine access has improved globally, immunization rates in developing world are often sub-optimal at around 80% 1 . This subdued coverage is, in part, due to the near-absent visibility into the movement of vaccines in the supply chain. The lack of information renders demand forecasting difficult and limits ⋆ The authors would like to thank Richard Cyganiak for inputs on RDB-RDF conver- sion. 1 http://data.unicef.org/child-health/immunization