Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1998

Figure 3: Three major c o m p o n e n ts o f M o n t a g e processed i m a g e features so t h a t e f f e c t i ve r e t r i e v a l c a n be p e r f o r m e d . T h e r e s e a r c h i n v o l v e s f i n d i n g t h e t y p e o f i n d e x i n g s t r u c t u re t h a t is m o s t s u i t a b l e f o r h i g h - d i m e n s i o n al i m a g e f e a t u re d a t a so t h a t retrieval is mo re efficient. T h e las t m a j o r c o m p o n e nt c o n c e r n s s o f t w a r e / h a r d w a r e s y s t em issues . H e r e , r e s e a r c h e rs a r e f a c e d w i t h t h e s y s t e m integration p a rt of Mo n t a g e : d e s i g n i ng user- f r i e n d ly interface, o p t i m i z i ng a nd d e b u g g i n g p r o g r a mm i n g code, d e f i n i ng specifications for p l u g - i n s a n d c ommu n i c a t i on protocols. Beneficiaries of the New Technology Mo n t a ge is n o w used b y the researchers to m a i n t a i n a n d u p d a t e a n i ma ge databas e of textile a n d fabric patterns collecte d f r o m various local manufacturers i n the textile a nd fashion industries. Fashion designers can use its user-friendly interface to l o o k u p previous d e s i g ns f or i n s p i r a t i o n. C o r p o r a t i o n s can create electronic catalogues w i t h its search e n g i n e b u i l t i n f o r p r o d u c t b r o w s i n g a n d electronic commerce. T h e u s e f u l n e s s o f M o n t a g e c a n b e e x t e n d ed to other industries. W i t h the r i g ht set of p l u g - i n s , it can be use d i n b i ome d i c a l a p p l i c a t i o n s , i ma ge a u t h e n t i c a t i o n, i m a ge archival, graphics design, a nd th e p u b l i s h i n g i n d u s t r y . Further Developments U p o n the c omp l e t i o n of the first version o f M o n t a g e , th e research t e am ha s s t a r t ed i n t e g r a t i n g the search engine i n t o a websit e w h i c h w i l l host textile a n d fabric s o u r c i n g a n d t r a d i n g f o r H o n g K o n g . M o n t a g e ' s search e n g i ne w i l l be u s ed to locate fabrics w i t h similar colour a nd texture features a n d fabric-related i n f o r ma t i o n for buyers . The researchers also p l a n to a d d server a n d internet capabilities to Mo n t a g e , m a k i ng it easy fo r people to use its search engines to l o c a t e i m a g e s o v e r t h e I n t e r n e t . W i t h s u f f i c i e nt s u p p o rt a n d d e v e l o p m e n t, t h e y h o pe that M o n t a g e w i l l become an essential i ma ge r e t r i e v al t o ol i n the c omp u t e r i z a t i o n of the textile a nd other industries. • Chinese University Bulletin Autumn • Winter 1998 32