Image browsing for feature-based products

In the context of product search in information intermediary or infomediary, text- A nd nevigation-based searching mechanisms such as keyword search are usually adopted [13]. Google [5], WebSeer [4], and Alta Vista Photo Finder [1] are some prominent examples. However, such search mechanisms are not efficient for feature-based products and the major problem is that the feature-based products are difficult to be described with textual expression. A potential candidate for the search of feature-based products is query-by-example (QBE). However, our study reveals that QBE is not an ideal searching method for feature-based products. This paper proposes an image browsing technique for the search of feature-based products in infomediary. The image browsing technique allows the users to access feature-based products through a two-dimensional map constructed with self organizing map (SOM) technique. The technique overcomes the problem of describing feature-based products. Simple view and pick operations can drive the user to the desired group of products. A task-based user evaluation was conducted to examine the usability of the proposed technique and the experimental results show that the proposed browsing technique is more practical and efficient compared with QBE.