2010-03-08

Microsoft Mobile Surface Computer

Clipped from: Video: Microsoft 'Mobile Surface

A Microsoft Research project dubbed "Mobile Surface" links a mobile phone to a camera and projector, letting people interact with a screen projected onto a tabletop by moving their hands in the air above it.

It's named after the company's Surface tabletop computer, and while the portable version doesn't provide nearly the screen resolution of its much larger cousin, Mobile Surface is notable in that it allows for three-dimensional control by sensing not lateral movement but also the distance between the hands and the surface.

Clipped from: Microsoft Demos 'Mobile Surface' And On-The-Fly Phone Call Translation

The project is an implementation wherein Microsoft plans to allow you to use any tabletop surface as an interacting device with the help of a mobile projector and camera setup. The demo shows:

A camera, projector and mobile phone, a projection of the mobile phone display is made on a tabletop, where a user interacts.
Ability to increase or decrease volume by moving your hand in the air.
Playing a drum set by moving hands in the air or hitting the projection of the drum set on a table.

Clipped from: YouTube - Mobile Surface Computer

Mobile Surface Computer

Clipped from: Mobile Surface - Microsoft Research

Mobile Surface

It is a novel interaction system for mobile computing. Our goal is to bring Microsoft Surface experience to mobile scenarios, and more importantly, to enable 3D interaction with mobile devices. We do research on how to transform any surface (e.g., a coffee table or a piece of paper) to Mobile Surface with a mobile device and a camera-projector system. Besides this, our work also includes how to get 3D object model in real-time, augmented reality and multiple-layer 3D information presentation.

Clipped from: Prototype Microsoft Mobile Surface PC one-ups iPhone

The prototype Mobile Surface device combines the features of Microsoft's Surface touchscreen computer along with the gesture-based interface of its coming Project Natal game control system for the Xbox 360.
Mobile Surface is also reminiscent of the 'Minority Report' interface demoed by startup PrimeSense at CES earlier this year.

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2009-03-17

Microsoft's SecondLight Surface

Clipped from: InfoNIAC

Second Light - the Second Generation Multi-touch Computer from Microsoft

At the South by SouthWest Festival visitors were told that in just two or three years they will witness the appearance of a second generation Surface - a computing gadget from the software giant Microsoft.
[...]
Surface represents a multi-touch computer that resembles a table.
The device features a flat screen that is able to read multi-touch gestures. Surface may also read content found on printed material that is placed onto the screen. This became possible with the help of five cameras installed inside the device.

Clipped from: YouTube - Microsoft Surface - The Possibilities

Microsoft Surface - The Possibilities

How does Surface work?
At a high level, Surface uses cameras to sense objects, hand gestures and touch. This user input is then processed and the result is displayed on the surface using rear projection.

What are the key attributes of surface computing?
Surface computing has four key attributes:

Direct interaction. Users can actually "grab" digital information with their hands and interact with content by touch and gesture, without the use of a mouse or keyboard.
Multi-touch contact. Surface computing recognizes many points of contact simultaneously, not just from one finger, as with a typical touch screen, but up to dozens and dozens of items at once.
Multi-user experience. The horizontal form factor makes it easy for several people to gather around surface computers together, providing a collaborative, face-to-face computing experience.
Object recognition. Users can place physical objects on the surface to trigger different types of digital responses, including the transfer of digital content.

Clipped from: BBC NEWS | Technology | Microsoft Surface in action

Microsoft Surface in action

Clipped from: Microsoft's SecondLight technology revealed - News - PC Authority

Microsoft's SecondLight technology revealed

Dual projection devices within the screen allow hidden images to exist underneath photographs, which can be rotated and zoomed to show the hidden information in context.

The way to reveal the hidden image or text data is to wave a transparent material over the SecondLight surface.

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