Using Multicultural Herbal Information to Create Multi-pattern Herb Name Retrieval System

Abstract

In Thailand, many botanical gardens are attracted by local and foreign visitors. Searching herbal information in these gardens usually applies plant names as keywords. However, various patterns of names can be used, e.g., common names, local names for each language, and scientific names. Moreover, misspelling and different spelling terms are usually found. Information of plants in gardens is often given in Thai and/or English. Searching information by inputting Thai plant names may be unfamiliar to foreign visitors. To help visitors retrieve herbal information by herb names, a multi-pattern herb name retrieval system was implemented. Using a multicultural herbal information system (HerbINFO), an approximate string matching technique, and a machine translator, visitors can easily search herbal information by any patterns of herb names. Using herb names contributed from members of the HerbINFO, feedbacks from a mobile phone and a voting system in the HerbINFO, efficiency of searching will be dynamically improved. A set of herb names in several patterns and languages was used to demonstrate the system via a mobile application.