The term “work in progress” applies to almost everything in eBusiness, but it might be especially applicable to image search. Some big advances may come in the near future, however, courtesy of a Swedish company named Polar Rose. It has announced that it’s capable of “computing 3D portraits from 2D photos,” and that its software will be able to recognize the people in those photos.
“The technology is based on computer vision research for computing 3D data using ordinary photos,” according to the Polar Rose blog. “Statistical relationships between what can be observed in the 2D photos and how this relates to the possible 3D shape variations gives us a way to get 3D using a single picture. Even if this 3D portrait is just an approximation and not a measurement it is a very good one which adds significant boost to recognition.”
And for Polar Rose, recognition is key. The company attempts to analyze the actual content of photographs, instead of the words describing them. CNET’s Michael Kanellos gave an example of how, by using more traditional methods, “a search on Jay Leno . . . will turn up pictures of the comedian as well as any family pets named Jay Leno.”
Kanellos also wrote that Polar Rose plans to “start conducting field tests with select users in January and then launch a public beta later in the first quarter.” As a demonstration proves, the company’s technology is already in pretty good shape; it should be free in its final form, as well, thanks to a plug-in that “will also act as a vehicle for delivering ads and links to commerce sites.”
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Doug is a staff writer for Murdok. Visit Murdok for the latest eBusiness news.
