Search solutions provider Deep Web Technologies, US, has launched an updated interface for the Defense Technical Information Center’s new DTIC Online research portal (http://multisearch.dtic.mil). DTIC is part of the US’ Department of Defense (DOD). The interface, known as MultiSearch, offers four defence search channels from a single drop-down menu, allowing users to access a collection of scientific and defence-related resources in one simultaneous search. The search employs the latest version of Deep Web Technologies’ Explorit Research Accelerator, which is seen to provide ‘smart’ clustering, encyclopedia sidebars from Wikipedia, and EurekAlert! science news.

DTIC supports the DOD and its community by centralising scientific, technical and related defence-information services, databases and systems. Its new DTIC Online significantly expands the breadth of information scanned and retrieved with its four search channels: DOD websites, DTIC Public Scientific and Technical Information, the DTIC Website, and Federal Scientific and Technical Information. MultiSearch also includes a federated search of other federated search websites, including Scitopia.org and WorldWideScience.org – both powered by the Explorit Research Accelerator. It therefore is projected to consolidate a number of advanced search engines within one search, delivering results users might never have uncovered.

The upgraded MultiSearch portal adds new features that seek to enrich the user experience and value of research. By taking advantage of Explorit’s ‘smart clustering,’ MultiSearch provides relevance-ranked clusters that allow users to see their results organised by topic. It also retrieves and displays entries from Wikipedia and EurekAlert! that complement the search experience. Explorit delivers not only relevant results, but pathways and context to guide users to more relevant search results.

Deep Web’s federated search technology is projected to enable fee-based or proprietary content to be searched publicly on the Internet, without giving it away. This content is not searchable by public search engines such as Google and Yahoo.

DTIC Online was created specifically for the defence community. MultiSearch can be accessed from the pull-down menu by selecting ‘Federal S&T’ or by going directly to (http://multisearch.dtic.mil).The search is free and much of the content is available at no cost. Some content – like that accessed through Scitopia – can be purchased on a pay-per-view basis or accessed by a subscription.