Kooaba's visual information retrieval uses patch-based recognition algorithm

European researchers are working on a project, Cognitive-Level Annotation Using Latent Statistical Structure (CLASS), to develop better techniques to recognize specific objects or classes of objects. The algorithm uses numerous small image patches as the basis of the object description. The technology has made its way into an application by a company called kooaba. Kooaba's application enables online information to be retrieved just by taking a photo of an object with a camera phone.