Apologies for any cross-postings.

Have you ever wanted to create and save image-sets on-line or search for
images based on their colour? The Visual Arts Data Service (VADS): The AHDS
Centre for Visual Arts has just launched two exciting new features that will
allow users to do just that and more. VADS’ new ‘Lightbox’ and ‘Visual
Search’ features provide users the opportunity to store, send and search,
for images from a selection of VADS' collections in a completely new and
personalised way.

The Lightbox allows users to personally manage images they find within VADS
(similar to a 'shopping basket' type feature). Users have the options to
store images in sets, save & compare individual images and e-mail image-
sets which can then be ‘adopted’ by other users when they visit VADS

The Visual Search function uses a technique known as Content Based Image
Retrieval (CBIR) that allows users to search the collections on the basis of
features extracted from the images themselves (such as colour, shape and
contrast), rather than using text based methods. Visual searching is
particularly useful where text descriptions are ambiguous or limited such as
with patterns, colours or abstract designs.

Visual searching is a relatively new concept and VADS is pleased to offer it
on a trial basis, in association with The Institute for Image Data Research
(IIDR), University of Northumbria.

VADS welcomes feedback on these new developments and will be providing
specific feedback mechanisms in the near future. In the meantime, please
explore & let us know what you think by emailing [log in to unmask]

These new features result from a Joint Information Systems Committee (5/99)
funded project entitled PICTIVA: Promoting the use of on-line Image
Collections for learning and Teaching in the Visual Arts.

VADS now provides over 16,500 cross-searchable visual arts images for use in
research, learning and teaching: http://vads.ahds.ac.uk.