Visual Information Retrieval in Digital Libraries

The emergence of information highways and multimedia computing has resulted in redefining the concept of libraries. It is widely believed that in the next few years, a significant portion of information in libraries will be in the form of multimedia electronic documents. Many approaches are being proposed for storing, retrieving, assimilating, harvesting, and prospecting information from these multimedia documents. Digital libraries are expected to allow users to access information independent of the locations and types of data sources and will provide a unified picture of information. In this paper, we discuss requirements of these emerging information systems and present query methods and data models for these systems. Finally, we briefly present a few examples of approaches that provide a preview of how things will be done in the digital libraries in the near future.published or submitted for publicatio

Digital Image Access & Retrieval

The 33th Annual Clinic on Library Applications of Data Processing, held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in March of 1996, addressed the theme of "Digital Image Access & Retrieval." The papers from this conference cover a wide range of topics concerning digital imaging technology for visual resource collections. Papers covered three general areas: (1) systems, planning, and implementation; (2) automatic and semi-automatic indexing; and (3) preservation with the bulk of the conference focusing on indexing and retrieval.published or submitted for publicatio

Data management study. Volume 3 - Lunar/earth data bank study

Lunar/earth data bank study, with user information requirements and system design concep

Advanced content-based semantic scene analysis and information retrieval: the SCHEMA project

The aim of the SCHEMA Network of Excellence is to bring together a critical mass of universities, research centers, industrial partners and end users, in order to design a reference system for content-based semantic scene analysis, interpretation and understanding. Relevant research areas include: content-based multimedia analysis and automatic annotation of semantic multimedia content, combined textual and multimedia information retrieval, semantic -web, MPEG-7 and MPEG-21 standards, user interfaces and human factors. In this paper, recent advances in content-based analysis, indexing and retrieval of digital media within the SCHEMA Network are presented. These advances will be integrated in the SCHEMA module-based, expandable reference system

A study of spatial data models and their application to selecting information from pictorial databases

People have always used visual techniques to locate information in the space surrounding them. However with the advent of powerful computer systems and user-friendly interfaces it has become possible to extend such techniques to stored pictorial information. Pictorial database systems have in the past primarily used mathematical or textual search techniques to locate specific pictures contained within such databases. However these techniques have largely relied upon complex combinations of numeric and textual queries in order to find the required pictures. Such techniques restrict users of pictorial databases to expressing what is in essence a visual query in a numeric or character based form. What is required is the ability to express such queries in a form that more closely matches the user's visual memory or perception of the picture required. It is suggested in this thesis that spatial techniques of search are important and that two of the most important attributes of a picture are the spatial positions and the spatial relationships of objects contained within such pictures. It is further suggested that a database management system which allows users to indicate the nature of their query by visually placing iconic representations of objects on an interface in spatially appropriate positions, is a feasible method by which pictures might be found from a pictorial database. This thesis undertakes a detailed study of spatial techniques using a combination of historical evidence, psychological conclusions and practical examples to demonstrate that the spatial metaphor is an important concept and that pictures can be readily found by visually specifying the spatial positions and relationships between objects contained within them

Crew interface specifications development for inflight maintenance and stowage functions

Findings and data products developed during crew specification study for inflight maintenance and stowage functions are reported. From this information base, a family of data concepts to support crew inflight troubleshooting and corrective maintenance activities was developed and specified. Recommendations are made for the improvement of inflight maintenance planning, preparations and operations in future space flight programs through the establishment of an inflight maintenance organization and specific suggestions for techniques to improve the management of the inflight maintenance function