Visual-based Image Search: Coming Soon to a Google Near You?
May 31st, 2007 by Brittany
As recently reported by Google Blogoscoped, Google has added a few new ways to organize its image search results.
Last August, Search Engine Watch reported that Google had purchased Neven Vision, an image recognition company that could potentially change the world of image searches. Up until now, searching for images has relied heavily on text-based elements such as title and alt tags. Now, it appears, Google is working on something that has been speculated and discussed for a long time: finding ways to search images based on what they look like or elements within the images rather than relying on the webmasters’ descriptions of them.
Visually-based image searches could benefit a wide variety of Google users:
”Average Joe” Searchers. By improving the accuracy of its search results, Google Images could become an even more important tool for current users – while peaking the interests of new ones. That means the people who use the internet for entertainment purposes will be able to sleep better at night knowing that their searches for images of cowbells will not be cluttered with pictures of Will Ferrell. Who can argue with that?
Designers. This goes for both graphic and web designers. Visual image search capabilities offer specific hope to designers of Flash websites. Historically, Flash designers have had to get creative when it comes to getting indexed on the search engines, since Flash websites rely heavily on images rather than text. Google has been hinting for years ago that it is interested in moving towards a generation of search in which images are indexed as accurately as words on a page. Google’s new facial recognition appears to be a step in that direction, which should come as welcome news to designers.
Students, journalists and researchers. People who are serious about using the internet and its search engines for educational and business-related means could have greater ease finding what they are looking for. One could imagine the possibilities facial recognition would offer when used in conjunction with Google’s newly-acquired Spock service, which allows searchers to find information on famous (and not-so-famous) people.
This innovative move could take the world of image search in a more accurate direction, although it does bring up some fears. As Stephen Pitts of http://www.seopittfall.com stated in a post on MarketingPilgrim:
“I am happy to announce that Google has not associated my picture with my name, at least not yet! It still is a bit scary (big brother anyone) that Google can associate your face with your name. …”
To get a taste of what Google might have in store, go to Google Images and do a search. At the end of your query, add &imgtype=face (for images of people only) or &imgtype=news (for only news-related images).
Play around. Do a few searches and if you find anything interesting, feel free to share it here!