Building the Ipseome: Large, Free, Open, Human Identity Data
2026-07-02 • Digital Libraries
Digital Libraries
AI summaryⓘ
The authors created the ipseome, the biggest free dataset about human identity, to help scientists study this topic more easily. They designed it so researchers can reuse the data, follow clear instructions on how it was collected, and track changes over time. The paper explains why the ipseome was made, how it was put together, and what has been done so far. This work aims to support ongoing research about identity in a reliable way.
datasethuman identityresearch infrastructuredata sharingmeasurement proceduresversion controlopen datacumulative research
Authors
Jason Jeffrey Jones
Abstract
Shared data accelerates scientific progress. Here, I describe the ipseome -- the largest free and open dataset on the topic of human identity. The dataset is designed as reusable research infrastructure, with publicly accessible data repositories, documented measurement procedures, and versioned files for cumulative research on identity. First, I present the motivation for and the ipseological principles driving construction of the ipseome. Then, each component is introduced and discussed. Finally, I summarize the current state of progress toward the ultimate goal.