The search topics for TRECVID 2006 are now available. Please note the following: - The file "topics.2006.xml" contains the search topics. The DTDs for this file are included. - The image examples are from the Web and are locatable using the included URLs but since things change there is a copy in the directory: examples.from.outside.the collection. - The video examples come from the video used for training and test in 2005 - this was provided to participants on the hard drives as 2006 development data. - There is some duplication/similarity to topics from earlier TRECVIDs. One topic contains no video examples. These are not accidents. - Please be careful that system builders, experimental participants, etc. do not gain any knowledge of the topics before they should. - As with features, when a topic expresses the need for video that "contains x", this is short for "contains x to a degree sufficient for x to be recognizable as x to a human" . This means among other things that unless explicitly stated, partial visibility or audibility may suffice. - When a topic expresses the need for x and y and ..., all of these (x and y and ...) must be visible simultaneously in one or more frames of a shot in order for the shot to be considered as meeting the need. - See the guidelines about system training types in section 3.5. Just in order to maintain continuity in the meaning of "type A" training, it will not include use of the MediaMill challenge resources even though they are available to all participants.