Searching with XQ: the exemplar query search engine

Abstract

We demonstrate XQ, a query engine that implements a novel technique for searching relevant information on the web and in various data sources, called Exemplar Queries. While the traditional query model expects the user to provide a set of specifications that the elements of interest need to satisfy, XQ expects the user to provide only an element of interest and we infer the desired answer set based on that element. Through the various examples we demonstrate the functionality of the system and its applicability in various cases. At the same time, we highlight the technical challenges for this type of query answering and illustrate the implementation approach we have materialized. The demo is intended for both researchers and practitioners and aims at illustrating the benefits of the adoption of this new form of query answering in practical applications and the further study and advancement of its technical solutions.