Microsoft Surface

Soon you could be sitting in a restaurant and checking out the menu by looking at the table top and ordering food by simply touching the surface of your table. This is not some science fiction. It is a reality that will soon be made possible by Surface Touch technology from Microsoft.

According to Microsoft, by end 2007 surface technology will be out for users to experience it. Currently, surface screens manufactured in a table like form factor. The technology would allow users to interact with photos, digital music and other forms of digital content using just their hands, with gestures and by putting real world objects on the surface. All you would need is your fingers to literally 'grab' visual information.


Surface computers make use of cameras to detect responses made by user. The information is then computed and the result is then displayed on the Surface screen using rear projection. On the inside, Surface technology runs on Windows Vista operating system and supports both wired and Wi-Fi and bluetooth connectivity. The table-like form factor is important, as it enables potential users to interact easily in our day-to-day environment. For example, the surface screen can be a part of a bar in a pub or blend into your wooden table at home.

Think of it as something like the gaming kiokis that you see at game parlours minus controller sticks and buttons. Here, you directly interact with the screen using your fingers as the medium of interaction. What this means for places like shopping malls, coffee shops, restaurants and movie halls is that, you can have a completly interactive experience when you visit one. Imagine visiting a movie hall, check all the listing on the surface screen and book your tickets.

The Surface display is capable of multi-touch interaction. It can simultaneously track multiple responses which include fingers, hands, gestures and objects placed on the surface. The technology can even detect barcode information and identification tags encoded on to membership cards. Since, the interaction via surface technology would be direct, it would make the whole process much more fun than say using buttons or mice or keyboards to order things. Not just that, using this technology, a number of people can use surface computers at the same time. This means more than two people can play games on such a screen at the same time.

Surface also supports object recognition. This means you can even place physical objects on the surface to set off a preferred response. Like, in a restaurant if you want a glass of water, place an empty glass on the surface screen area marked to order water. Anyone who would be interested in using Surface Technology would be given a complete list of basic applications that include photos, games, music and so on. This is done to help buyers customize the technology according to their needs.

Do visit: www.microsoft.com/surface