Google Image Swirl now in Google Labs

Google Image Swirl is a new way of searching for similar images and is built on “technologies developed for Similar Images and Picasa Face Recognition to discern how images should be grouped together and build hierarchies out of these groups”. It wasn’t too long ago when Google released an update relating to its image search back in October. Again it was based on “similar searching”. Here is a “Find similar images” search in it’s now classic form for Big Ben.

Now Google have “…launched an experimental feature in Labs called Google Image Swirl, which builds on new computer vision research to cluster similar images into representative groups in a fun, exploratory interface.”

When looking for Big Ben we have a new interface that shows 12 thumbnail images which represent the group of images behind it:

Clicking on the Coca Cola Big Ben thumbnail (bottom right) we then start seeing a wonder wheel type interface which you can find in the Search Options panel, which enables you to explore related search queries.

Clicking further shows the relationships from the original search to your final destination

Google Image Swirl currently works for more than 200,000 queries and will auto-complete as you start to type in the search box, similar to Google Suggest.

Have some fun a try it out for yourself here and let us know what you think about it.