Multimodal retrieval refers to information retrieval that uses multiple types of data or modalities, such as text, images, audio, or video, to improve search results. By combining different forms of data, multimodal retrieval systems can provide more comprehensive and relevant results based on the richness of the data available.
For example, in a multimedia search system, a user might submit an image and a text query, and the system retrieves documents or images that match both the visual content and the text. Multimodal retrieval is enabled by technologies like image recognition, natural language processing, and audio analysis, all working together in a unified search engine.
This technique is valuable in scenarios like video search, where both visual and textual information are important, or in e-commerce, where products are often searched using both images and descriptions.