Microsoft Research is working on a new Photo2Search technology that lets you search the Internet using photos captured by cell phone cameras.

Here's how Photo2Search works: Seeking information about something seen, a user takes a photo of the object and sends the photo, via e-mail or MMS, to a Web-based server, which searches an image database for matches.

The server then delivers database information—whether it be a Web page featuring the object in the photo or information associated with the object—to the user, who can act on the information received: read a menu, enter a gallery, book a hotel room, make a purchase.

Read: Microsoft Reasearch: Photo2Search

Source: GoogleWatch eWeek