Tangible Image Query

This paper introduces a tangible user interface for browsing and retrieving images from an image database. The basis for the query to the image database is a color layout sketch, which is used by the underlying query algorithm to find the best matches. The users are provided with colored cubes of various sizes and colors. The users can place and arrange the colored cubes on a small table to create a color layout sketch. Multiple users can use this interface to collaborate in an image query. To evaluate the benefits of the interface, it is compared to a traditional GUI application in which the users use a mouse to paint a color layout sketch. The tangible interface appears to be easier to use and better accepted by people who belive they are unable to draw or paint or who do not want to use computer.