Multimatch D1.1 – State of the Art

MultiMatch aims at complex, heterogeneous digital object retrieval and presentation. The development of the system implies addressing a number of significant research challenges in a multidisciplinary context. This report describes the state of the art in the relevant areas of research, thus specifying the scientific and technology baseline from which the consortium partners start. We identified six main areas: existing technology for cultural heritage; search engines; information extraction and classification; multilingual/multimedia indexing; multilingual/multimedia retrieval; user interaction and interface design. Each area is reviewed in a separate chapter. Our aim has been to provide a complete panorama of the actual state-of-the-art in the areas of interest to MultiMatch, covering as far as possible all relevant aspects. The report will be monitored and, if necessary, revised and/or updated on delivery of the first and second prototypes, with particular reference to the results obtained in the project.