Sliders for Searching

The idea of using a slider widget for a search interface is interesting. It seems to be a way that a user could specify what they want in a fuzzier manner.

“A slider (sometimes called a dial) displays the range of values, magnitude, or position of something in the application or system. An indicator notes the current setting.”(Apple HI Guide).

The only examples I have are IBM’s Glass Engine (Java), the second version of v-2.org (Flash), and the timeline widget on U2’s site (Flash). I’d like to find more examples and some research on their utility.