Using sets of feature vectors for similarity search on voxelized CAD objects

Abstract

In modern application domains such as multimedia, molecular biology and medical imaging, similarity search in database systems is becoming an increasingly important task. Especially for CAD applications, suitable similarity models can help to reduce the cost of developing and producing new parts by maximizing the reuse of existing parts. Most of the existing similarity models are based on feature vectors. In this paper, we shortly review three models which pursue this paradigm. Based on the most promising of these three models, we explain how sets of feature vectors can be used for more effective and still efficient similarity search. We first introduce an intuitive distance measure on sets of feature vectors together with an algorithm for its efficient computation. Furthermore, we present a method for accelerating the processing of similarity queries on vector set data. The experimental evaluation is based on two real world test data sets and points out that our new similarity approach yields more meaningful results in comparatively short time.