INFORMATION-RETRIEVAL FOR FINE-ARTS DATABASE SYSTEM

This paper proposes the concept of information retrieval for fine arts database system on the fuzzy set theory, especially concerning to sen sitive impression and location data. The authors have already reported several important formulations about the data structure and informati on retrieval models based on the fuzzy set theory for multimedia datab ase. The fuzzy models of the information retrieval are implemented in the fine arts database system, which has the following features: (1) T he procedure of information retrieval is formulated in the fuzzy set t heory; (2) This database can treat multimedia data such as document da ta, sensitive impression, location information, and image data. (3) It is possible to retrieve the stored data based on sensitive impression and the location data such as ''joyful pictures which have a mountain in the center and there is a tree in the right''; (4) Users can input impression words as a retrieval condition, and estimate their grades such as ''low,'' ''medium,'' and ''high''; (5) For the result of infor mation retrieval, the satisfaction grade is calculated based on fuzzy retrieval model; and (6) The stored data are about 400 fine arts paint ings which are inserted by the textbook of fine arts currently used at the junior high school and high school in Japan. These Features of th is system give an effects of the fine arts education, and should be us eful for information retrieval of fine arts. The results of this study will become increasingly important in connection with development of multimedia technology.