Google improves image search with Swirl

Fresh out of the ever-surprising Google labs is yet another fascinating product, an experimental new interface to search images called Image Swirl.

What is Image Swirl?
Swirl works by creating comprehensive groups of similar images when one puts in a key word. Therefore, when you search for an image, a cluster of similar pictures emerge, which swirl about as you go on clicking on them. Once you click an image, it becomes central and all other similar ones swirl about and surround it.

The interface shows up to a grid of maximum 12 thumbnails of images, which shows the most relevant and similar images in a circle around it.

According to Google, “Each thumbnail on the initial results page represents an algorithmically-determined representative group of images with similar appearance and meaning. These aren’t just the most relevant images — they are the most relevant groups of images.”

How it operates
The incredible feat has been achieved by an amalgamated implementation of Picasa Face Recognition software, and Similar Images.

The doodle itself is interesting with a lab sign, and lab funnel around it. Still in its freshman phase, there are only about 200,000 queries that it can identify, a few of which are already present on the page as options for a tryout. It is only a matter of time before more are added.

The criterion to cluster images will be on their metadata, that is, the description users provide. But considering that millions of users, everyday upload images without metadata, Google is going to have a tough time organizing this.

Hopes are relying on the advancements in image analysis technology, which will make sure that the graphical representation of the image is the criteria for grouping, not the meta description.

The ever evolving Google
This is another attempt of Google bettering itself, cutting any chance of competition. It was only a month ago that Google introduced Google Similar Images, which uses image recognition technology for filtering search results, and made it a part of default image search.

The circular wanderings reminds one of the Google wonder wheel, another Google innovation, released in May, 2009. It is a tool to make the search results easy to group, and was structured around a wheel.

Apart from this, there are talks about Google introducing its own phone to be sold directly or through retailers. Considering the popularity of the brand, Apple has some serious trouble coming their way.