The aim of the I-SEARCH project is the development of the first search engine able to handle a wide range of specific types of multimedia and multimodal content (text, 2D image, sketch, video, 3D objects, audio and combination of the above), which can be used as queries and retrieve any available relevant content of any of the aforementioned types.

The I-SEARCH project covers research in multimedia search and retrieval, relevance feedback, multimodal interaction, personalization and visual analytics. These disciplines are combined with market research, technology assessment, valorisation and business modelling.

Despite the significant achievements in multimedia search technologies, the existing solutions still lack several important features, which could guarantee high-quality search services and improved enduser experience. More specifically the following technological/scientific research topics will be addressed by the I-SEARCH project:

1. A unified framework for multimodal content search and retrieval.
2. Sophisticated mechanisms for interaction with content.
3. Efficient presentation of the retrieved results.

The sheer amount of leading-edge technologies needed to implement the I-SEARCH project, requires a cross-border and cross-sectoral approach. The I-SEARCH project partners bring together a unique combination of both technical and business skills and expertise necessary to form an effective consortium.