FieldML: concepts and implementation

TLDR

FieldML is a developing standard for modelling and exchanging field descriptions across diverse computational methods. The paper outlines FieldML concepts and demonstrates them with a simple spatially varying finite‑element field example. FieldML offers a rich, extensible set of operators for defining generalized fields as functions of other fields, enabling complex biological material modeling and is implemented in open‑source computational and visualization tools.

Abstract

The field modelling language FieldML is being developed as a standard for modelling and interchanging field descriptions in software, suitable for a wide range of computation techniques. It comprises a rich set of operators for defining generalized fields as functions of other fields, starting with basic domain fields including sets of discrete objects and coordinate systems. It is extensible by adding new operators and by their arbitrary combination in expressions, making it well suited for describing the inherent complexity of biological materials and organ systems. This paper describes the concepts behind FieldML, including a simple example of a spatially varying finite-element field. It outlines current implementations in established, open source computation and visualization software, both drawing on decades of bioengineering modelling software development experience.