The name Surface comes from Surface Computing, and Microsoft envisions the coffee-table machine as the first of many such devices. Surface computing uses a blend of wireless protocols, special machine-readable tags and shape recognition to seamlessly merge the real and the virtual world — an idea the Milan team refers to as "blended reality." The table can be built with a variety of wireless transceivers, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and (eventually) radio frequency identification (RFID) and is designed to sync instantly with any device that touches its surface.
It supports multiple touch points – Microsoft says "dozens and dozens" -- as well as multiple users simultaneously, so more than one person could be using it at once, or one person could be doing multiple tasks.
The term "surface" describes how it's used. There is no keyboard or mouse. All interactions with the computer are done via touching the surface of the computer's screen with hands or brushes, or via wireless interaction with devices such as smartphones, digital cameras or Microsoft's Zune music player. Because of the cameras, the device can also recognize physical objects; for instance credit cards or hotel "Loyalty" cards.
For instance, a user could set a digital camera down on the tabletop and wirelessly transfer pictures into folders on Surface's hard drive. Or setting a music player down would let a user drag songs from his or her home music collection directly into the player, or between two players, using a finger – or transfer mapping information for the location of a restaurant where you just made reservations through a Surface tabletop over to a smartphone just before you walk out the door.
2. What is Surface Computing?
• Surface computing is a new way of working with computers
that moves beyond the traditional mouse-and-keyboard
experience.
• It is a natural user interface that allows people to
interact with digital content the same way they have
interacted with everyday items
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3. Origins 2001 2003 2004 2005 2007
An Idea Inspired by Cross-Division Collaboration
In 2001, Stevie Bathiche of Microsoft Hardware and Andy
Wilson of Microsoft Research began brainstorming concepts for an
interactive table. Their vision was to mix the physical and virtual
worlds to provide a rich, interactive experience.
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4. Origins
1st prototype model named T1
which is based on an IKEA
table was born. Team saw the
value of the surface
computer beyond simply
gaming and began to favor
those applications that took
advantage of the unique
ability of Surface to
recognize physical objects
placed on the table.
2001 2003 2004 2005 2007
T1 prototype
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5. Origins 2001 2003 2004 2005 2007
• Humble Beginnings on a Table
In 2004, the team grew and became the Surface
Computing group. Surface prototypes, functionality and applications
were continuously refined. The team built more than 85 early
prototypes for use by software developers, hardware developers and
user researchers.
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6. • Attention turned to its form factor- Tub
proto type was designed
• By late 2004, the Microsoft Surface
development platform was established and attention
turned its form. A number of different experimental
prototypes were built, including the “tub” model that
was encased in a rounded plastic shell, a desk-height
model with a square top and cloth-covered sides and
even a bar-height model. After extensive testing and
user research, he current look and feel of Surface
was finalized in 2005.
Origins 2001 2003 2004 2005 2007
Tub Prototype
7. Origins
From Prototype to Product
• Final structure finalised, interactive
tabletop device was built that
brings both the physical and virtual
worlds into one.
2001 2003 2004 2005 2007
Surface computer
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9. Multi-touch contact :
Surface computing recognizes many
points of contact simultaneously, not
just from one finger like a typical
touch-screen, but up to dozens of items
at once.
Surface computer is optimized to
recognize 52 simultaneous multitouch
points of contact.
some of the first devices with
multi-touch support are Apple’s
iPhone and Jeff Han’s Media Wall
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11. Multi-User Experience:
Multi-touch technology benfits the Multi-user
technology
The horizontal form factor makes it easy for several
people to gather around surface computers together,
providing a collaborative, face-to-face computing
experience.
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12. Direct interaction:
• Direct interaction means that, we can
interact with the Surface by using our
fingers.
• No other input device is needed to give
input.
• This provides a natural interface effect.
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13. Object Recognition:
• Object recognition is done
in the surface by using
special bar codes called
Domino tags.
• These are infrared
sensitive patterns which
are read by the infrared
sensing cameras inside
the surface.
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15. N U I
Natural user Interface.
Toch based user interface.
Dirrect interaction with computer using
Gestures.
All with hands.
Multi touch.
Multi-User.
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17. Screen: A diffuser turns the Surface's acrylic tabletop into a
large horizontal "multitouch" screen. The Surface can recognize
objects by their shapes or by reading coded "domino" tags.
Infrared: Surface's "machine vision" operates in the near-
infrared spectrum, using an LED light source aimed at the screen.
When objects touch the tabletop, the light reflects back and is
picked up by multiple infrared cameras with a net resolution of
1280 x 960.
CPU: Surface uses many of the same components found in everyday desktop
computers using wireless communications through WiFi and Bluetooth antennas.
The underlying operating system is a modified version of Microsoft Vista.
Projector: Microsoft's Surface uses the same DLP light engine found in
many rear-projection HDTVs.
How it works..?
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18. 18
Where Surface Is Available To Us
AT&T became the first
retail location to launch
Surface on April 17, 2008
In June 2008 Harrah’s
Entertainment launched
Surface at their Rio iBar
Disneyland launched it
in their Tomorrowland,
Innoventions Dream Home
Sheraton Hotels
introduced Surface into
the hotel lobbies of 5
it’s locations.
Currently only available
for commercial use.
19. Application Development:
Microsoft Surface 2.0 Software Development Kit (SDK) is used to
build applications for the Samsung SUR40 and Windows touch PCs.
The SDK works with Visual Studio and targets the .NET Framework 4.0
running on Windows 7.
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20. Applications…
•Digital photo handling with finger tips.
•Instantly compares while shopping.
•Interaction with digital content by share, drag and drop
digital images.
•Surface Restaurant.
•Quickly browse through play list entries dragging favorite
song to the current track…
•Easy to take complex shopping decisions.
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21. Digital photo handling with finger
tips.
• We can handle
images
directly with
our finger.
• Manipulating
the images is
even more
better than
the real
photos.
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22. Instantly compares while shopping
• We can directly
compare different
products just by
placing them on the
surface.
• This is done using
object recognition
technology.
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24. Disadvantages..
• Incredibly expensive.
• Currently designed only in some areas.
• Need for dim lighting to avoid washing out the screen.
Advantages..
• Multi users- collaborative effort of users interacting.
• Seamless- no wires or USB ports.
• Instant download/upload of photos.
• Users have more control of technology- ordering food or manipulating photos fast.
• Educational- learn more info about the products you are using.
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25. ‘A computer on every desktop.’
Now we say,
‘Every desktop will be a computer.’
Conclusion
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