How did we survive without Google Image Search? I frequently use it when someone utters the name of some “celebrity” I’ve never heard of, or I think is actually someone else, to make sure I’m thinking of the right person (like it really matters).

Now, not only can we check out similar images of those Z-list celebs, but thanks to a new feature being tested in Google Labs, we could see a whole swirl of related images.

Google Image Swirl uses advances in computer vision research to group together a dozen images based on a certain keyword.

Google gives the example: “if you search on Image Swirl for [washington], you’ll see 12 image thumbnails including President Washington, the Washington Monument, a map of Washington D.C. and the Capitol Building”

The “swirl” comes when you click on one of those thumbnails, which expands to show similar and related images based on that image. It’s Google’s own mashup of related images and the Wonder Wheel that you might have used for text-based search queries.

It’s interesting to see image search evolve, and presumably if enough people provide positive feedback this will eventually graduate from the labs and become part of the standard Google search.

Via