iBase: Navigating Digital Library Collections

摘要

It is this seamless combination of search and browsing, facilitated by the notion of a focal image, that sets iBase apart from other content-based images search engines: the NN~k browsing allows one to identify suitable images for search-by-example, the result of which can be browsed for other relevant material either by NN~k browsing or by temporal or directory browsing. Additional importance is placed on the design of the GUI. By providing a tight integration of techniques and a rich set of user interactions, we aim to equip the user with substantial navigational power within a straightforward and intuitive interface. Several key concepts of HCI were maintained throughout the design process: (ⅰ) consistency (ⅱ) responsiveness and (ⅲ) system progress feedback. The design of iBase is such that new search approaches that needed to be built into the system like camera motion, hub NN~k network browsing and human emotion feedback were done with relative ease.