SPIN-IT: a data centric routing protocol for image retrieval in wireless networks

We propose and analyze a routing protocol for mobile ad hoc networks that supports efficient image retrieval based on metadata queries. In digital photography, metadata describes captured information about an image and provides the key element needed for advanced techniques for sharing pictures. Our goal was to find an efficient way to utilize metadata to retrieve images in a wireless network of imaging devices. Building on the SPIN (sensor protocols for information via negotiation) protocol for metadata negotiation, we designed SPIN-IT (SPIN-image transfer), a protocol where wireless imaging devices use metadata queries to retrieve desired pictures. This protocol provides low bandwidth query-based communication prior to the transfer of image data to set up routes to desired data rather than routes to specific nodes. We compare SPIN-IT to a centralized approach and discuss the advantages of each design for different picture-sharing scenarios.