The new search engine is to be called SMART, which is an acronym for “Search engine for MultimediA Environment geneRated content”. The idea, according to Cordis
, is that Internet users will be able to search and analyze data from sensors distributed around the planet.
The way the system will work is that will answer search queries by identifying cameras, microphones and other sensors that can contribute to the query. This information will then be matched to data from other social networks. The idea is that if a user was to type in, for example, “how busy is the city center?”, then the search engine will be able to draw upon sensors located in the city center to provide the answers.
notes that SMART is based on Terrier open source search engine technology.
Quoted by Laboratory News
, one of the developers, Dr Iadh Ounis from the University of Glasgow’s School of Computing, is quoted as saying:
“The SMART project will be built upon an open-source search engine technology known as Terrier we have been developing at the University since 2004, and we’re pleased to be involved in this innovative research initiative.”
The developers consider that no other search engine can currently provide such information.
The project is made up of teams from IBM’s Hafia Research Lab, Atos, Athens Information Technology, Imperial College London and the University of Glasgow. The BBC
indicates that SMART is expected to be tested in a real city by 2014.