GazoPa, Similar Image Search Engine Begins Open Public Beta Testing

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hitachi America, Ltd., today announced that their similar image search engine, GazoPa (http://www.gazopa.com) application will begin open beta testing and is available to the public at large. All features are available for test users without log in. The primary goal is to obtain a broad range of feedback, which will enable Hitachi to evaluate the broad scale market potential.

GazoPa is a next generation image search engine that uses characteristics such as a color or a shape extracted from the image itself. In addition to the keyword search capabilities, GazoPa even enables the use of users’ own photos, drawings, and images found on the web, as search keys to locate similar images.

Hitachi has been enhancing GazoPa since its invitation-only beta launch on September, 2008. Released Facebook application “GazoPa book” and “GazoPa Drawing” and GazoPa for iPhone application.

Other new features included for evaluation during this open beta testing are filtering latest images and reusable images. Latest images can now be displayed by a filtering option. GazoPa enables users to filter images that are for commercial and remix use. These features we incorporated based on feedback provided during the private beta test launch in September, 2008.

Due to the significant increase occurring relating to the number of images that have less metadata and more prevalent demand for these image search capabilities, Hitachi’s GazoPa application can effectively meet these demands in a more intuitive and convenient way.

In the future, Hitachi plans to release additional features that make image search more efficient and exciting.

For detailed information about GazoPa, please visit its website at http://www.gazopa.com

ABOUT GazoPa

GazoPa is a web image search engine service released by Hitachi that uses features from an image to search for and identifies similar images. In addition to images found using keyword searches, GazoPa enables the use of users’ own photos and drawings, and images found on the web, as search keys to locate similar images from our database. GazoPa can support not only photos but also the search of video thumbnails.

http://www.gazopa.com

ABOUT HITACHI

Hitachi America, Ltd., headquartered in Tarrytown, New York, a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., and its subsidiary companies offer a broad range of electronics, power and industrial equipment and services, automotive products and consumer electronics with operations throughout the Americas. For more information, visit www.hitachi-america.us. For information on other Hitachi Group companies in the United States, please visit www.hitachi.us.

Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE:HIT / TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 400,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2008 (ended March 31, 2009) consolidated revenues totaled 10,000 billion yen ($102.0 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials, logistics and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at http://www.hitachi.com.