Articles :: Technology :: Microsoft Unveils Surface Computing
written by Toby Miller on May 30, 2007 May 30, 2007
Microsoft has unveiled their newest technology called "Surface Computing". It's basically just multi-touch screen displays that they plan to market to the commercial sector (for now). It's actually very cool technology and they have demos of it up on their website that you can check out.
Microsoft Surface
http://www.microsoft.com/surface/
This reminds me of the demonstration that Jeff Han put up a couple of years ago, very neat stuff.
The Multi Touch Screen - Documenting Jeff Han and Frustrated Total Internal Reflection
http://multi-touchscreen.com/
Then I started wondering, yet again, isn't there a standard product that I can purchase to get this functionality? I mean, this technology isn't that new, it's just not been readily available to consumers. Well, it turns out that there is and it runs on Windows XP and Linux via USB and supports up to 4 simultaneous users. It's also available for purchase today, but they don't post the price on their website (of course). You have to email them for their price list.
MERL (Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories) - DiamondTouch
http://www.merl.com/projects/DiamondTouch/
Now the other thing that I find really interesting is that the stretching/panning/zooming finger gestures that are being used in all of these applications are patented by Apple. I wonder if they'll defend them? Also take note in this next link that it proves, definitively, that Apple has not licensed Jeff Hans research as their own technology. There's a lot of rumors around the web about that being the case (especially over at digg.com).
Multi-Touch Interaction Video
http://news.worldofapple.com/archives/2006/02/08/multi-touch-interaction-video/
I also found this very interesting...
Sr. Panel Process Engineer, Displays
http://jobs.apple.com/index.ajs?BID=1&method=mExternal.showJob&&RID=4798&CurrentPage=1
... looks like Apple is hiring someone to help them develop this technology for themselves. And I'll end my post with this final parting gift, interactible, thin-air projection screens ... for real.
FogScreen - ThinAir Projection Screens
http://www.fogscreen.com/ (check out the videos page for demos)
The future looks promising for us tech junkies. =)
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