An application of swarm intelligence to distributed image retrieval

In this article, we introduce an application of swarm intelligence to distributed visual information retrieval distributed over networks. Based on the relevance feedback scheme, we use ant-like agents to crawl the network and to retrieve relevant images. Agents movements are influenced by markers stored on the hosts. These markers are reinforced to match the distribution of relevant images over the network. We tackle the use of the information gathered during previous search sessions. In order to match the different categories available on the network, we use several markers. Sessions searching for the same category will thus use the same makers. The system involves three learning problems: the selection of relevant markers regarding the searched category, the reinforcement of these markers and the learning of the relevance function. All of these problems are based on the relevance feedback loop. We test our system on a custom network hosting images taken from the well known TrecVid dataset. Our system shows a high improvement over classical content based image retrieval systems which do not use previous sessions information.

[1]  Frances M. T. Brazier,et al.  Issues in a Mobile Agent-based Multimedia Retrieval Scenario , 2005, BNAIC.

[2]  Daphne Koller,et al.  Support Vector Machine Active Learning with Applications to Text Classification , 2000, J. Mach. Learn. Res..

[3]  Douglas R. Heisterkamp.  Building a latent semantic index of an image database from patterns of relevance feedback , 2002, Object recognition supported by user interaction for service robots.

[4]  Jamie Callan,et al.  DISTRIBUTED INFORMATION RETRIEVAL , 2002 .

[5]  J. Deneubourg,et al.  Collective patterns and decision-making , 1989 .

[6]  Bruce M. Maggs,et al.  Efficient content location using interest-based locality in peer-to-peer systems , 2003, IEEE INFOCOM 2003. Twenty-second Annual Joint Conference of the IEEE Computer and Communications Societies (IEEE Cat. No.03CH37428).

[7]  Frances M. T. Brazier,et al.  Agent-Based Information Retrieval: Legal and Technical Considerations in a Simple Case , 2004 .

[8]  Matthieu Cord,et al.  Image Retrieval Over Networks: Active Learning Using Ant Algorithm , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Multimedia.

[9]  Danny B. Lange,et al.  Mobile Objects and Mobile Agents: The Future of Distributed Computing? , 1998, ECOOP.

[10]  Arnaud Revel,et al.  Web-agents inspired by ethology: a population of "ant"-like agents to help finding user-oriented information , 2003, Proceedings IEEE/WIC International Conference on Web Intelligence (WI 2003).

[11]  Matthieu Cord,et al.  CBIR in Distributed Databases using a Multi-Agent System , 2006, 2006 International Conference on Image Processing.

[12]  Danny B. Lange,et al.  Seven good reasons for mobile agents , 1999, CACM.

[13]  Jiann-Jone Chen,et al.  Scalable Image Retrieval with Optimal Configuration for P2P Network Database , 2007, 2007 International Workshop on Content-Based Multimedia Indexing.

[14]  Thomas Stützle,et al.  Ant Colony Optimization , 2009, EMO.

[15]  Thomas S. Huang,et al.  Image retrieval with relevance feedback: from heuristic weight adjustment to optimal learning methods , 2001, Proceedings 2001 International Conference on Image Processing (Cat. No.01CH37205).

[16]  Alberto Del Bimbo,et al.  Merging Results for Distributed Content Based Image Retrieval , 2004, Multimedia Tools and Applications.

[17]  Volker Roth,et al.  A distributed content-based search engine based on mobile code , 2005, SAC '05.

[18]  Corinna Cortes,et al.  Support-Vector Networks , 1995, Machine Learning.

[19]  Luca Maria Gambardella,et al.  Ant colony system: a cooperative learning approach to the traveling salesman problem , 1997, IEEE Trans. Evol. Comput..

[20]  Thomas Stützle,et al.  Ant colony optimization: artificial ants as a computational intelligence technique , 2006 .

[21]  Vijay V. Raghavan,et al.  Content-Based Image Retrieval Systems - Guest Editors' Introduction , 1995, Computer.

[22]  Gianni A. Di Caro,et al.  AntNet: A Mobile Agents Approach to Adaptive Routing , 1999 .

[23]  Matthieu Cord,et al.  Image Retrieval using Long-Term Semantic Learning , 2006, 2006 International Conference on Image Processing.

[24]  Neill W. Campbell,et al.  Iterative refinement by relevance feedback in content-based digital image retrieval , 1998, MULTIMEDIA '98.