Entries tagged with surface - Channel 10

Surface + Dungeons and Dragons = Surfacescapes

Larry Larsen — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:27:00 GMT

I met with the folks from Carnegie Mellon who created the Dungeons and Dragons game on Microsoft Surface called Surfacescapes, which is a double helping of geek. I asked them about some of the challenges they faced, some of the decisions they made (like virtual dice), and where they hope to go with it in the future. If you're a D&D or Surface fan, don't miss it at Penny Arcade on March 26th.

In this game, the DM sits off to the side with a laptop or touch slate while the application tracks combat states and statistics. Best of all you can still use your favorite miniatures on the table!

Techfest 2010: Mobile Surface

Larry Larsen — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:17:00 GMT

Every year at TechFest, Microsoft employees (and a few invited guests) get to take a look at some of the projects out of Microsoft Research. These aren't finished products--you'll see a lot of exposed wires and tape--and in fact, they may never become completed products at all, but each project shows what we're thinking--and maybe where we're going.

This year I met with a team from MSR Asia who have constructed what they hope will eventually be a pico-projector portable computer, and in this project you can see inspiration from Microsoft Surface and Second Light. The possibility I like best about this is the ability to touch your games while still seeing what is there. Additionally, if you use physical controls on apps, such as knobs, you can actually paint labels on the controls themselves.

Pictionaire, a new Multitouch Table from Microsoft Research

Sarah Perez — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:07:00 GMT

A joint project from Microsoft Research and the University of California brings us another touchscreen, mutitouch table-top computing experience. Like a larger version of Surface, the Pictionaire, as it’s called, is also operated via human touch using gestures made on the table’s surface. However, unlike Surface, the camera used features a higher resolution - and it’s positioned above the computer’s screen, via a mount on the ceiling. With this setup, the camera can “see” the items placed on the table and when the item is removed, it can be replaced with a digital version. For example, if you place a keyboard on the table, the Pictionaire will pull up a text-entry box. If you place a sketchbook on the table, a digital version of the page soon appears. You can even do this process in reverse – the Pictionaire can project a digitized image onto the real life object, like the digital sketchpad image projected onto a piece of paper so you can trace it back onto the physical page.

To see the Pictionaire in action, check out the videos posted over on Slashgear. The Pictionaire will be demonstrated at the Computer Supported Cooperative Work conference in Savannah, Georgia, next month.

(via New Scientist)

Hard Rock in Vegas Gets Microsoft Surface and Touchscreen Rock Wall

Sarah Perez — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:13:00 GMT

Microsoft Surface is in the spotlight again. Some of you may have seen it in use during the E! network’s annual Red Carpet special at the Golden Globes this past weekend. At this event, fashion expert Jay Manuel used the tabletop computing platform during his “play-by-play” analysis of the stars’ designer duds, notes a post on the Surface blog. However, an even more interesting use of the technology comes from the recent installation in Las Vegas.

A Microsoft Surface machine has been installed in Vegas’s Hard Rock Cafe where a combination of Microsoft technologies that also includes Silverlight, SharePoint, and Windows are used in combination to present the company’s online collection of rock memorabilia to diners. Even cooler, the Cafe features something called the “Rock Wall,” an 18-foot-wide, 4-foot-tall touchscreen showcase of the Hard Rock’s treasures just like those found on Memorabilia website here.

This unique, customized experience lets Cafe diners interact with the rock history showcase on the giant glass screen while waiting for a table. They can also interact with the collection using a Microsoft Surface computer to zoom in and out of the memorabilia. The collection, which includes things like handwritten lyrics by John Lennon and Michael Jackson’s sequined glove, consistently draws a crowd eager to play with the Microsoft technology.

In addition to the Rock Wall and Surface computer, the Cafe’s customers can also interact with the memorabilia collection using 19” touchscreens installed in the restaurant’s booths.

Finguistics: An Educational Game for Surface

Sarah Perez — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:02:00 GMT

A UK-based educational software company called RM has a Microsoft Surface game for students in development meant to show how the computer can be used in an educational setting. There’s now a (long 10-minute) video of this game in action which is available for viewing here on YouTube. The video gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how the application was put together by RM, Lightbox, Infusion and Microsoft UK. “Finguistics,” in you’re wondering, is a word play application for Surface where students ages 5 and up, spell short words, make sentences, or play puzzle games in English, Spanish, and French. It sort of reminds me of magnetic poetry, I have to admit.

CeBIT '09 - Surface App for Financial Planning

Lori Grosland — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:14:00 GMT

Unlike previous years, I was only at the CeBIT this year for one day. It was one exhausting day, but I managed to get several cool Surface demos on video before I caught my flight back to Munich.

In this video, Thorsten Eberhardt from Avanade shows me their Microsoft Surface wealth management application for use in financial planning. It provides users with tailored retail banking services, estate planning and investment management.

CeBIT '09 - Surface App for Banking

Lori Grosland — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:51:00 GMT

Ever wondered what CeBIT means? Well, CeBIT stands for “Centrum der Büro- und Informationstechnik” or in English “Center of Office and Information Technology.”

This year the CeBIT was smaller than in past years, but on the day that I was there, there were tons of people waiting to try out Microsoft Surface. Every time I walked by, the tables were full of people trying out the multi-touch devices. If you weren’t able to make it to CeBIT, here is another video to show you some of the possibilities of Surface.

Vincent Encontre from IntuiLab demonstrates a scenario for an innovative banking application for Microsoft Surface that will provide customers with an entirely new, collaborative banking experience. IntuiLab is developing solutions for Surface for a wide variety of industries including public sector, retail, banking and media.

CeBIT '09 - Surface Applikationen

Lori Grosland — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:28:00 GMT

Letzte Woche auf der CeBIT habe ich nicht nur englische Videos über Microsoft Surface gemacht sondern habe ich auch ein deutsches Video aufgezeichnet. Das erste Teil von dem Video kommt vielleicht bekannt vor. Ich habe mit Ralf Kluth von Sariamo zwei Videos gemacht. Das erste war auf Englisch und das zweite auf Deutsch. Ralf zeigt in beide Videos ihre Surface-Applikation für das Kreuzfahrt-Erlebnis. In dem zweiten Teil von dem Video, habe ich mit Tom Acland von Neue Digitale gesprochen. Tom zeigt mir eine Surface-Applikation, die demonstriert, wie Surface in einer Financial-Umgebung umgesetzt werden könnten.

CeBIT '09 - Infusion Development's Surface Apps

Lori Grosland — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:53:00 GMT

The CeBIT 2009 trade fair took place from March 3-8 in Hannover, Germany. CeBIT is the world's largest trade fair showcasing digital IT and telecommunications solutions for home and work environments. One of the highlights at the Microsoft booth this year was the 3 Surface tables that were available for attendees to try out and learn more about. Microsoft Surface developer partners were also on hand to showcase their cool and innovative Surface solutions.

In this video, I chat with Neil Ray and Kevin Lasitz from Infusion Development and they show me a couple of their Surface applications. Infusion is a Microsoft Surface reseller that provides end-to-end solutions for clients in financial services, retail, healthcare and government industries. Infusion develops and supports Microsoft Surface applications that integrate with key Microsoft products and business systems including an application that allows users to navigate real-time, 3-D data using Microsoft Virtual Earth, zooming in and exploring a variety of information. www.infusion.com

CeBIT '09 - Surface App for Cruises

Lori Grosland — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:06:00 GMT

At the CeBIT last week, I also had the chance to talk to Microsoft Surface developer partner Ralf Kluth from Sariamo. Ralf showed me their Surface application to allow customers to explore and compare cruise options before making their purchase and while on board, cruise guests have the opportunity to explore areas of the ship and plan activities. Sariamo designs applications for the automotive, retail, broadcasting and tourism industries, transforming the experience of taking a cruise from booking to bon voyage.

Coldwell Banker's Surface App

Larry Larsen — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:56:00 GMT

Coldwell Banker has a new application for looking for a house using Microsoft's Surface. It's a short 38-second video, but interesting to see regardless. I was thinking last week about how brick 'n mortar storefronts would get people to drop in an age where people would rather sit on their couch with a laptop, this might be a good first start. Since Surface computers are relatively rare and somewhat expensive, this could be a good draw. But with multitouch in Windows 7 on the horizon, is this the way we'll be using ColdwellBanker.com in the future? (YouTube video after the jump.) [found via my arch-twitter-nemisis' Twitter feed: @adkinn]

Sneak Peek at Surface Apps

Larry Larsen — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:11:00 GMT

We had an Army Symposium on campus and Josh Wall from Information Strategies invited me over to take a look at some of the apps they are working on using the Surface. It's very cool to see the integration of real world objects and Surface start to form. In this demo, Josh is able to take a plastic ring and use it as a photographer's loupe. Josh also showed us a ring interface that they are starting to use for the Surface that will allow you to interface with the application from any side.

Microsoft Surface e iPhone

Galileu Vieira — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 07:41:00 GMT

Minha colega Sarah Perez achou esse vídeo da empresa Stimulant, uma das empresas que está aprendendo a brincar com o Microsoft Surface. Nesse vídeo, o pessoal está usando a funcionalidade de reconhecimento de objetos do Surface para reconhecer o iPhone e usá-lo como uma máquina de raio-x.

Confira o vídeo.

Fonte: http://on10.net/blogs/sarahintampa/Microsoft-Surface-and-Mobile-Phone-Mashup/

Microsoft Surface and Mobile Phone Mashup

Sarah Perez — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:38:00 GMT

What do you get when you combine a Microsoft Surface computer with a mobile phone? You get the new XRay mashup application from Stimulant Labs. This application, inspired by Microsoft’s SecondLight technology which debuted at PDC 2008, takes advantage of Surface’s object recognition capabilities to recognize the position of one or more mobile phones on the Surface computer. The technology allows the phones to “see through” the images and reveal a second layer of information – sort of like an X-Ray.

Although the demo they have posted on their site features the iPhone, they note that the technology is working with both Windows Mobile devices and Android, too.

You have to see the video of this: it’s amazing.

(via the Surface Team Blog)

Two More Cool Surface Apps

Sarah Perez — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:16:00 GMT

Do you love checking out the latest apps for Microsoft Surface? Obviously, we do. Recently we gave you a look at Surface apps for banking, for education, and for fun. Just recently, I came across two more – this time, they’re for use in the medical industry and warehousing. These two apps aren’t brand-new, but I had never seen them before, so perhaps you haven’t either.

The first app is VitruView, which was designed by InterKnowlogy, is based on a prototype WPF application. This app is to help with angiography procedures. In other words, it’s basically a 3D multi-touch app for heart surgeries. The data created by the app is also stored in Microsoft HealthVault.

Here’s a demo.

The second app, also by InterKnowlogy is the “Warehouse Floor Command Center.” This application works with warehouse info stored in Microsoft Dynamics AX. The app can help optimize complex warehouse operations by generating a heat map based on pick rate information. This app lets warehouse managers find out of place bins and move them to a better location just by moving the objects on the screen. Once the bin are moved in the app, the movement information is submitted back to your warehouse application and the appropriate people are notified.

Here’s that demo.

So, as you can see, Microsoft Surface computers aren’t just fun and games – you can work with real-world information and data in ways you never could before when you’re using Surface.

(Via MicroMiel)

Surface: The Banking Demo

Laura Foy — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:28:00 GMT

Are you frustrated with all the conflicting information out there when it comes to investments, mortgages, insurance, etc? Well, soon you'll be able to walk into your bank and sit in front of a Microsoft Surface table and have it all displayed for you neatly with outstanding visual clarity. An in depth demonstration will be offered at the upcoming 7^th annual Microsoft Enterprise Developer and Industry Solutions Conference 2009 where you will learn about solutions in Microsoft technologies relevant to the Financial Services and Health & Life Sciences industries, as well as hear about the latest advancements in major industries such as media, communications, retail and hospitality. This two day event will be held in New York City on May 5^th and 6^th.

Contents are tailored for developers, architects, business decision makers, and technology decision makers in large enterprise organizations a clear roadmap of the Microsoft development platform. We will give specific examples of real world solutions using the best of breed technology to bring you from where you are today, to where you will be tomorrow. This is the only conference that will show case enterprise customer solutions directly from the mouth of developers that work in the enterprise industry space as well hear from Microsoft and their partners on topics such as Cloud Computing, Application Lifecycle Management and User Experience (REGISTER HERE) and you can see a quick over-view in this clip. Show me the money!!

Two New Microsoft Surface Apps Revealed

Sarah Perez — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:45:00 GMT

Microsoft Surface developer Kevin Kennedy recently gave us a look at two new Microsoft Surface applications he has under development. Although neither app is 100% ready for real-world use just yet, both are great examples of Surface’s potential. The two new apps are called SplatBox and Bubble Wrap.

SplatBox is an app for video DJs that lets them create and modify videos on the fly using touch:

Splatbox, the VJ app, on Microsoft Surface

The other app, Bubble Wrap, turns the screen of the Surface into a giant sheet of bubble wrap for your popping pleasure. That may not be the most useful app, but it does demonstrate how Surface can combine physical interaction with audio and visual recordings for a unique (and fun!) computing experience.

Bubble wrap on Microsoft Surface

(via Ars Techica)

Seadragon para iPhone

Galileu Vieira — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:22:00 GMT

Seadragon é a plataforma por trás das minhas tecnologias preferidas – Deep Zoom do Silverlight, Photosynth e até Windows 7 e Surface. Essa plataforma permite que você visualize imagens gigantescas (gigapixels) sem o mínimo esforço do seu computador. Agora o pessoal do Live Labs, o braço de pesquisa e desenvolvimento da Microsoft para tecnologias Web, lançou uma versão para celulares. Detalhe, a primeira versão é para iPhone e está disponível de graça na App Store do iPhone.

Para usar essa tecnologia, a maneira mais rápida é fazer um upload de suas fotos para o serviço do Photosynth. As fotos não precisam seguir as regras do Photosynth para recriar a figura 3D, pois estamos usando o Photosynth como um álbum virtual nesse caso. No Seadragon Mobile você fará um login e aparecerão os seus álbuns do Photosynth e você também pode adicionar as coleções de outros usuários do Photosynth.

Tem duas coisas que acho importantes nessa notícia. Primeiro, o Live Labs está realizando seu propósito de existência – inovação rápida e impactante para a Web. Segundo, mostra a cara da nova Microsoft, já que a primeira versão dessa tecnologia foi disponibilizada para o iPhone. Veja o post oficial sobre o Seadragon para Mobile onde há um vídeo de demonstração. Meu colega Larry Larsen entrevistou o criador dessa versão do Seadragon, o Ben Vanik do Live Labs. Ah, outro detalhe, essa invenção surgiu do tempo livre que cada pesquisador do Live Labs tem para inventar coisas sem objetivos concretos.

Multitouch-Tisch Surface

Lori Grosland — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:20:00 GMT

Der Surface Tisch ist ein Multitouch Rechner, der aussieht, wie ein Kaffeetisch. Anstatt Eingabegeräte wie ein Maus oder ein Tastatur zu haben, hat Surface einen großen interaktiven Bildschirm und kann mit Fingern gesteuert werden. Mit Infrarot-Kameras kann er Fingern oder andere Gegenstände erkennen. Surface kann auch von mehreren Personen gleichzeitig bedient werden.

Surface hat endlich Deutschland auch erreicht. Seit letzter Woche haben wir ein Surface Tisch in unserem MTC (Microsoft Technology Center) in Unterschleißheim. Ich habe Clemens Lutsch, User Experience Evangelist bei Microsoft Deutschland, gefragt, ob er mir Surface zeigen könnte. In diesem Video macht Clemens genau das und zeigt ein paar Beispiel Anwendungen. Nach dem Videodreh dürfte ich ein bisschen mit Surface spielen. Mach echt Spaß und schon süchtig, wie Clemens in dem Video sagt. ;-)

Habt Ihr Lust, Surface live zu sehen? Surface wird auf der Xtopia nächste Woche in Berlin präsentiert. Mit deutschem Partner, neuen Demos und Detail-Präsentationen kann man viel mehr über Surface erfahren. Reale Nutzungsszenarien und was man bei der Konzeption von Multitouch User Experiences auf Surface beachten sollte, sind nur einige der Themen. Karten für Xtopia kann man immer noch bekommen unter: www.xtopia.de

Mehr Information rund um Surface findet Ihr auf der Surface-Webseite oder auf dem Surface-Team Blog:

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/

http://blogs.msdn.com/surface/

Wenn Ihr selbst Surface ausprobieren wollt oder Anwendungsideen dafür habt, komm auf der Xtopia oder CeBIT vorbei. Ansprechpartner hier in Deutschland ist Clemens Lutsch. Für mehr Info, kontaktiere ihn über sein Blog:

http://blogs.msdn.com/clemenslutsch/

Surface DJ

Sarah Perez — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:56:00 GMT

Surface DJ is a killer app for Microsoft Surface which lets techo-loving DJs - or even wannabe DJs - work together to create songs using a Mixer-type application. As the DJs move objects into a specific area of the Microsoft Surface screen, different sounds are played. Or maybe I shouldn’t say “sounds,” because sounds alone weren’t enough for this app’s creators. That’s why Vectorform, the company behind the app, added in musical loops, too. Of course, the app is designed to take advantage of the Surface computer’s multi-touch capabilities since it lets multiple DJs work together to build a musical creation at the same time.

Want to see it in action? Check out this video:

MSNBC Has a New Toy: Surface!

Nic Fillingham — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:12:00 GMT

NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd has a shiny new Microsoft Surface unit and some fancy custom applications to assist him in analyzing the upcoming 2008 election.

From the Surface Team Blog:
"Today we saw two applications in action, the Electoral Map and Battleground States, but over the coming days/weeks Todd will likely use other unique applications and features to further highlight the candidates, the issues, polls and relevant political news." ..more info at the Surface Team Blog

Check out the Surface unit in action here

Rede MSNBC utiliza o Surface na cobertura das eleições nos EUA

Galileu Vieira — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:37:00 GMT

O Microsoft Surface continua aparecendo em lugares novos. Dessa vez ele fez sua estréia na rede de notícias MSNBC nos Estados Unidos. A MSNBC é uma parceria entre a rede de televisão NBC e a Microsoft. O uso do Surface nesse caso mostra tanto o lado de interação com os dedos e também o reconhecimento de objetos através de fichas, que representam pesquisas de intenção de voto em diversos meses, e de bonecos dos candidatos Barack Obama e John McCain. Confira o vídeo:

Live Labs Shadow Box on the Surface

Nic Fillingham — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 13:57:00 GMT

Now this is cool. Jeff Weir and John Lynn work in the Microsoft Live Labs team (that's the group that created Photosynth). They also have a couple of Surface units in their office. So the two of them came up with an idea to build a little application called Shadow Box (or unofficially "nightmare box") that 'burns' in and out images of what the infrared camera inside the surface sees. The end result is both awesome and spooky! Check out the video of Shadow Box in action.

More on Live Labs: http://labs.live.com/

Sphere multi-touch computing

Laura Foy — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Just when you thought the Surface was the coolest thing since sliced bread... enter the Sphere! This product is still in proto-type mode but even at this stage, you can't help but be impressed. At the Microsoft Research Faculty Summit I grabbed some one on one time with Hrvoje Benko, the lead on this project and found out all the details. It's just so cool, enjoy.

Meet the Microsoft Surface Team

Nic Fillingham — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Ever wondered what it would be like to work on the Microsoft Surface team?

Exciting? Innovative? Fun!? You bet,...!

Actually,... I wonder if they have any roles open,.... :)

More: www.surface.com