A software environment for image database research

Abstract Image databases that allow retrieval of data by referring to the image contents need an image analysis module. In this paper we will describe the features of ‘I-see’, a knowledge-based software environment that we have designed specifically for image analysis. We will assess the usefulness of this tool for the development of interpretation modules for image databases. Two important research topics are investigated. First, precompilation of the image contents is necessary for efficient retrieval. Second, query by image contents must allow access to objects and situations represented in the images. Our approach will be to look at these database functionalities in general image analysis terms. In this sense, precompilation will be considered as a special case of image interpretation, query specification as a form of model description while query retrieval will be viewed in terms of model instantiation and selection. Although the ‘I-see’ tool already contains features that can be used as image database parts, the paper will consider the tool as a research platform rather than as an image database module.