Japan Backing Device-Specific Search Tech To Compete With Google (Search Engine Land)

“The Japanese project is comprised of 10 partnerships, each tasked with a specific next-generation search function. For example, the government has matched NTT Data with Toyota InfoTechnology Center and Toyota Mapmaster to create an interactive, personalised car navigation system.

Other partnerships involve NEC, Hitachi and Sony Computer Science Laboratories. The ministry of trade has allocated Y14bn-Y15bn (€89m-€95m) to the project.”

The multimedia search engine Quaero, Europe’s answer to Google (Pandia Search Engine News)

“The Quaero project was announced last summer by the French president Chirac. AFP has been talking to Jean-Luc Mollet at Thompson, a project leader of the Quaero project.

Several companies are involved in the Quaero project along with Thompson. AFP’s article mentions Deutsche Telecom, France Telecom, and the search engine Exalead.

AFP also mentions some French and German research institutes: Inria (Institut national de la recherche en informatique et en automatique), IMSI-CNRS (Centre national de la recherche scientifique), RWTH-Aachen och Universitetet i Karlsruhe.

In addition there are content providers like INA (Institut National de l’Audiovisuel) and Studio Hamburg. There are ongoing negotiations with other partners.”