In May 2007 at the All Things Digital conference, Microsoft’s CEO, Steve Ballmer unveiled a new computer designed by the software giant called the Surface. The Surface is essentially a Windows Vista PC tucked inside a table topped with a 76cm reflective surface in a clear acrylic frame. The initial design was made for playing games and viewing maps. The surface uses multitouch technology enabling it to identify 52 different touches at a time, which is about 6 people. If a digital device such as a phone or camera is placed on the surface it can be identified and pictures downloaded onto it. Drag and drop is able to and from the device.
The futuristic computer will be initially available for commercial use, like in shops, restaurants and hotels. Imagine being able to pick a meal, plan vacations and spots to visit from the hotel room. AT & T will shortly start using the Surface on trial run before rolling it out in all of its shops. Customer will be able to place handsets that are for sale onto the surface and view prices, features and plans. Other companies that have placed their orders are T-Mobile, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Inc and Harrah’s Inc. it was also showcased in the movies Minority Report. Of course it will be some time before we see this kind of technology being used here in Zimbabwe.
For the more technically inclined people here is a brief feature summary
Microsoft notes four main components being important in Surface’s interface: direct interaction, multi-touch contact, a multi-user experience, and object recognition.
Direct interaction refers to the user’s ability to simply reach out and touch the interface of an application in order to interact with it, without the need for a mouse or keyboard. Multi-touch contact refers to the ability to have multiple contact points with an interface, unlike with a mouse, where there is only one cursor. Multi-user is a benefit of multi-touch — several people can orient themselves on different sides of the surface to interact with an application simultaneously. Object recognition refers to the device’s ability to recognize the presence and orientation of tagged objects placed on top of it.
The technology allows non-digital objects to be used as input devices. In one example, a normal paint brush was used to create a digital painting in the software. This is made possible by the fact that, in using cameras for input, the system does not rely on restrictive properties required of conventional touchscreen or touchpad devices such as the capacitance, electrical resistance, or temperature of the tool used.
The computer’s “vision” is created by a near-infrared, 850-nanometer-wavelength LED light source aimed at the surface. When an object touches the tabletop, the light is reflected to multiple infrared cameras with a net resolution of 1280 x 960, allowing it to sense, and react to items touching the tabletop.
Surface will ship with basic applications, including photos, music, virtual concierge, and games, that can be customized for the customers.
Surface is a 30-inch (76 cm) display in a table-like form factor, 22 inches (56 cm) high, 21 inches (53 cm) deep, and 42 inches (107 cm) wide.[14]. The Surface tabletop is acrylic, and its interior frame is powder-coated steel. The software platform runs on a custom version of Windows Vista and has wired Ethernet 10/100, wireless 802.11 b/g, and Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity.
