- J. Aslam, Jamie Callan, R. Manmatha, M. Sanderson, E. Voorhees. 2002. MetaSearch : Data Fusion and Distributed Retrieval. Abstract: MetaSearch is the process of retrieving and combining information from multiple sources, and it is typically studied in one of two forms: (1) data fusion, the combination of information from multiple sources that index an effectively common data set and (2) collection fusion or distributed retrieval, the combination of information from multiple sources that index effectively disjoint data sets. As more and more retrieval mechanisms become available over common data sets (e.g., the World Wide Web) and specialized data sets (e.g., medical and law libraries), the process of identifying likely sources of relevant information, retrieving information from those sources, and effectively combining the information thus gathered will only grow in importance. A future wherein ubiquitous mobile wireless devices exist, capable of forming ad hoc peer-topeer networks and submitting and fielding requests for information, gives rise to a new host of challenges and potential rewards.
