Out of Steve Bathiche and Andy Wilson’s work on Surface Computing comes an elegant 30-inch diagonal display table that reacts to touch — and will hit the market in Winter 2007. It’ll be on display at Siggraph in August.
Check out the demo (done in Flash (!) ).
More on the Microsoft Research work into surface computing (and a cool video) from the MSR TechFest event this year.
Please, can I have one in my living room?
Paul M. Watson says
haha, that is the first thing I checked too, whether they were using Silverlight or not. I can see why they used Flash though, bit more market penetration at this point :)
As for Surface itself… in Winter 2007, how much will I have to pay to get one is what I want to know. Excellent stuff.
May 30, 2007robburke says
Yeah, I think it was a darned if they did, darned if they didn’t scenario: Flash=”haha, you didn’t use Silverlight” and Silverlight=”you want me to install beta/alpha goo to look at this?!”
May 30, 2007I have a feeling these Surface installations as of Winter 2007 will cost an arm and a leg (look at their Partners list). We were in a bar in Vegas during MIX that had a rig kinda like this set up, which responded to drinks, ashtrays, finger touches, etc., and I have no doubt it cost them a fortune. I would love one Surface in the kitchen and one in the living room, but I reckon we might have to wait a few years for that to become affordable…
What is the Microsoft Surface? says
@robburke:
June 1, 2007Even if Surface does cost an arm and a leg, it’s not meant for the common computer tasks of today. You don’t _need_ this thing. It’s only for the rich and the specialized businesses which can afford it and can find a use for it.
Paul M. Watson says
I’d have to disagree with that last comment. This is the beginning of the computing interface for everyone, from families at home to restaurants, pubs, libraries and so on. Today’s interfaces will have to be redesigned to work with this but the tasks we do today will be better for multi-touch screens.
June 5, 2007robburke says
It’s definitely not a question of needing the thing, it’s a question of wanting it. One for my living room and one for my kitchen, please!
June 22, 2007