In the commercial use of picture collections, a heavy dependency continues to be exhibited on a concept-based image retrieval paradigm in which the query is verbalised by the client and resolved as a metadata text-matching operation.
The practical and philosophical challenges posed by the indexing aspect of image metadata construction are significant and frequently expressed. Nevertheless, it has taken image digitisation to bring this particular information retrieval problem to prominence in the research agenda. Metamorphosed into a binary data structure, the digital image offers some enticing processing opportunities which content-based image retrieval techniques are exploiting with developing success.
Drawing on studies of user need, this paper seeks to explain why a heavy dependency will continue to be placed on concept-based rather than content-based image retrieval techniques within archival image collections. In contrast, the promising nature of content-based techniques from the viewpoint of a growing clientele with less traditional visual information needs will also be considered.
The paper concludes by offering the view that, while both concept-based and content-based approaches suffer from operational limitations, the further development of a hybrid image retrieval paradigm which combines the two approaches makes a potentially valuable contribution to the research agenda for visual image retrieval.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
[1] Y. Rui , T.S. Huang and S-F Chang , Image retrieval: current techniques, promising directions, and open issues , Journal of Visual Communication and Image Representation10 (1999) 39-62 .
2.
[2] A.E. Cawkell , Selected aspects of image processing and management: review and future prospects , Journal of Information Science18(3) (1992) 179-192 .
3.
[3] D.J. Harper and J.P. Eakins (eds), The Challenge of Image Retrieval: Papers presented at CIR99 - Second UK Conference on Image Retrieval, 25-26 February 1999, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (University of Northumbria at Newcastle, 1999) [Preface].
4.
[4] P.G.B. Enser , Pictorial information retrieval [Progress in documentation] , Journal of Documentation51(2) (1995) 126-170 .
5.
[5] E.M. Rasmussen , Indexing images. In: M.E. Williams (ed.), Annual Review of Information Science: Volume 32 ( Information Today, Medford, NJ , 1997), pp. 169-196.
6.
[6] J.P. Eakins and M.E. Graham , Content-based Image Retrieval: A Report to the JISC Technology Applications Programme ( Institute for Image Data Research, University of Northumbria at Newcastle , January 1999).
7.
[7] B. Sandore (ed.), Progress in visual information access and retrieval , Library Trends48(2) (1999) 283-524 .
8.
[8] P.B. Heidorn , Image retrieval as linguistic and non-linguistic visual model matching. In: [7], pp. 303-325.
9.
[9] H. Besser , Image databases: the first decade, the present, and the future . In: P.B. Heidorn and B. Sandore (eds), Digital Image Access and Retrieval: Papers presented at the 1996 Clinic on Library Applications of Data Processing, March 24-26, 1996, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (GSLIS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1997), pp. 11-28 .
10.
[10] E. Panofsky , Meaning in the Visual Arts ( Doubleday Anchor Books, Garden City, NY , 1955).
11.
[11] S. Shatford , Analyzing the subject of a picture: a theoretical approach , Cataloguing and Classification Quarterly5(3) (1986) 39-61 .
12.
[12] H. Besser , Visual access to visual images: the UC Berkeley Image Database Project , Library Trends38(4) (1990) 787-798 .
13.
[13] D.A. Forsyth , Computer vision tools for finding images and video sequences. In: [7], pp. 326-355.
14.
[14] K. Markey , Interindexer consistency tests: a literature review and report of a test of consistency in indexing visual materials , Library and Information Science Research6(2) (1984) 155-177 .
15.
[15] A. Gupta and R.C. Jain , Visual information retrieval , Communications of the ACM40(5) (1997) 71-79 .
16.
[16] E. Svenonius , Access to nonbook materials: the limits of subject indexing for visual and aural languages , Journal of the American Society for Information Science45(8) (1994) 600-606 .
17.
[17] S. Santini , and R.C. Jain , The graphical specification of similarity queries , Journal of Visual Languages and Computing7 (1997) 403-421 .
18.
[18] G. Salton and M.J. McGill , Introduction to Modern Information Retrieval ( McGraw-Hill, New York , 1983).
19.
[19] D.A. Forsythet al. , Finding pictures of objects in large collections of images . In: P.B. Heidorn and B. Sandore (eds), Digital Image Access and Retrieval: Papers presented at the 1996 Clinic on Library Applications of Data Processing, March 24-26, 1996, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (GSLIS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1997), pp. 118-139 .
20.
[20] M.J. Swain and D.H. Ballard , Color indexing , International Journal of Computer Vision7(1) (1991) 11-32 .
21.
[21] T. Huang , S. Mehrotra and K. Ramchandran , Multimedia Analysis and Retrieval System (MARS) Project . In: P.B. Heidorn and B. Sandore (eds), Digital Image Access and Retrieval: Papers presented at the 1996 Clinic on Library Applications of Data Processing, March 24-26, 1996, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (GSLIS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1997), pp. 100-117 .
22.
[22] V.N. Gudivada and V.V. Raghavan , Content-based image retrieval systems , Computer28(9) (1995) 18-22 .
23.
[23] P. Aigrainet al. , Content-based representation and retrieval of visual media - a state-of-the-art review , Multimedia Tools and Applications3(3) (1996) 179-202 .
24.
[24] J.P. Eakins , Automatic image content retrieval - are we getting anywhere? In: M. Collier and K. Arnold (eds), Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Electronic Library and Visual Information Research (ELVIRA3) (De Montfort University, Milton Keynes, 1996), pp. 123-135 .
25.
[25] S-F. Chang , J.R. Smith and J. Meng , Efficient techniques for feature-based image/video access and manipulation . In: P.B. Heidhorn and B. Sandore (eds), Digital Image Access and Retrieval: Papers presented at the 1996 Clinic on Library Applications of Data Processing, March 24-26, 1996, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (GSLIS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1997) pp. 86-99 .
26.
[26] R.M. Bolle , B-L. Yeo and M.M. Yeung , Video Query: Research Directions (1998). Available at: http://www.research.ibm.com/journal/rd/422/bolle.txt
27.
[27] Available at: http://www.qbic.almaden.ibm.com/
28.
[28] M. Flickneret al. , Query by image and video content: the QBIC system , Computer28(9) (1995) 23-32 .
29.
[29] Available at: http://www.virage.com/
30.
[30] Available at: http://www-white.media.mit.edu/vismod/demos/photobook/
31.
[31] A. Pentland , R. Picard and S. Sclaroff , Photobook: tools for content-based manipulation of image databases , International Journal of Computer Vision18(3) (1996) 233-254 .
32.
[32] Available at: http://www.excalib.com/products/vrw/vrw.html
33.
[33] P.G.B. Enser and C.G. McGregor , Analysis of Visual Information Retrieval Queries (British Library Research and Development Report 6104) ( British Library, London , 1992).
34.
[34] L.H. Armitage and P.G.B. Enser , Analysis of user need in image archives , Journal of Information Science23(4) (1997) 287-299 .
35.
[35] L.H. Armitage and P.G.B. Enser , Information Need in the Visual Document Domain (British Library Research and Innovation Report 27) ( British Library, London , 1996).
36.
[36] L.H. Keister , User types and queries: impact on image access systems. In: R. Fidelet al. (eds), Challenges in Indexing Electronic Text and Images (ASIS Monograph Series) ( Learned Information, Medford, NJ , 1994), pp. 7-22.
37.
[37] S.K. Hastings , Query categories in a study of intellectual access to digitized art images , ASIS ‘95: Proceedings of the 58th ASIS Annual Meeting32 (1995) 3-8 .
38.
[38] R. Hidderleyet al. , Capturing iconology: a study in retrieval modelling and image indexing . In: M. Collier and K. Arnold (eds), Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Electronic Library and Visual Information Research (ELVIRA3) (De Montfort University, Milton Keynes, 1996), pp. 123-135 .
39.
[39] R. Fidel , The image retrieval task: implications for the design and evaluation of image databases , The New Review of Hypermedia and Multimedia (1997) 181-199 .
40.
[40] S.K. Hastings , Evaluation of image retrieval systems: role of user feedback. In: [7], pp. 438-452.
41.
[41] M. Markkula and E. Sormunen , Searching for photos - journalists’ practices in pictorial IR . In: J.P. Eakins , D.J. Harper and J. Jose (eds), The Challenge of Image Retrieval: Papers presented at a Workshop on Image Retrieval, 5 February 1998, University of Northumbria at Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (University of Northumbria at Newcastle, 1998).
42.
[42] M. Markkula and E. Sormunen , End-user searching challenges indexing practices in the digital newspaper photo archive , Information Retrieval1(4) (1999) 259-286 .
43.
[43] S. Ornager , The newspaper image database: empirical supported analysis of users’ typology and word association clusters . In: Proceedings of the 18th Annual International ACM SIGIR Conference on Research and Development in Information Retrieval, Seattle, 9-13 July 1995 (1995), pp. 212-218 .
44.
[44] S. Ornager , Image retrieval: theoretical and empirical user studies on accessing information in images . In: ASIS’ 97: Proceedings of the 60th ASIS Annual Meeting 34 (1997) 202-211 .
45.
[45] J.P. Eakins , Pictorial information systems - prospects and problems . In: A. McEnery (ed.), Proceedings of the 14th British Computer Society Information Retrieval Specialist Group Research Colloquium, University of Lancaster, 13-14 April 1992 (British Computer Society, London, 1992), pp. 102-123 .
46.
[46] A. Vailaya , A. Jain and H.J. Zhang , On image classification: city images vs. landscapes , Pattern Recognition31(12) (1998) 1921-1935 .
47.
[47] G.W. Horgan , M. Talbot and J.C. Davey , Towards automatic recognition of plant varieties . In: J.P. Eakins , D.J. Harper and J. Jose (eds), The Challenge of Image Retrieval: Papers presented at a Workshop on Image Retrieval, 5 February 1998, University of Northumbria at Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (University of Northumbria at Newcastle, 1998).
48.
[48] S-F. Changet al. , Semantic visual templates: linking visual features to semantics . In: ICIP’98: Proceedings of the 1998 International Conference on Image Processing Chicago, Illinois, October 4-7, 1998 (IEEE Computer Society, Los Alamitos, CA, 1998), pp. 531-535 .
49.
[49] H.D. Wactlaret al. , Intelligent access to digital video: the Informedia project , Computer29(5) (1996) 46-52 .
50.
[50] Available at: http://www.informedia.cs.cmu.edu/
