CONTENTS

What is Microsoft surface? History What is surface computing? Features of surface computing Structure and working Specifications Pros and cons Future innovations Conclusion

What is Microsoft surface?

Revolutionary multitouch computer with different look & feel. It is a surface with a computing platform that responds to natural hand gestures and real world objects. Turns an ordinary tabletop into a vibrant, interactive surface. Provides effortless interaction with digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects. Surface is a 30-inch display in a table-like form factor thats easy for individuals to interact just like in the real world.

What is microsoft surface? (contd)

Microsoft Surface represents a fundamental change in the way we interact with digital content. This uses a multi touch screen as user interface. System composed of a horizontal touchscreen under a coffee table-like surface, with cameras mounted below to detect user interaction activities. Surface can simultaneously recognize dozens and dozens of movements such as touch, gestures and actual unique objects that have identification tags similar to bar codes. Surface computing-the technology behind. Surface that comes to life for exploring, learning, sharing, creating, buying and much more.

HISTORY
2001: Microsoft researchers Steve Bathiche and Andy Wilson developed idea of interactive table that could understand the manipulation of physical pieces. 2003: 1st prototype model named T1which 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.

HISTORY(contd)
2005 :Attention turned to its form factor- Tub proto type was designed. 2007:Final structure finalised,interactive tabletop device was built that seamlessly brings both the physical and virtual worlds into one.

What is surface computing?

Major advancement that moves beyond the traditional user interface to a more natural way of interacting with information. It is a natural user interface that allows people to interact with digital content the same way they have interacted with everyday items such as photos, paintbrushes and music their entire life: with their hands, with gestures and by putting real-world objects on the surface. Surface computing opens up a whole new category of products for users to interact with.

FEATURES OF SURFACE COMPUTING

Direct interaction : Users can actually grab digital information with their hands and interact with content by touch and gesture, without the use of a mouse or keyboard. Multi-touch contact : Surface computing recognizes many points of contact simultaneously, not just from one finger, as with a typical touch screen, but up to dozens and dozens of items at once.

FEATURES(contd)
Multi-user experience : The horizontal form factor makes it easy for several people to gather around surface computers together, providing a collaborative, face-to-face computing experience. Object recognition : Users can place physical objects on the surface to trigger different types of digital responses, including the transfer of digital content.

STRUCTURE

(1) Screen: A diffuser turns the Surface's acrylic tabletop into a large horizontal "multitouch" screen, capable of processing multiple inputs from multiple users. The Surface can also recognize objects by their shapes or by reading coded "domino" tags. (2) Infrared: Surface's "machine vision" operates in the near-infrared spectrum, using an 850-nanometerwavelength 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.

(3) CPU: Surface uses many of the same components found in everyday desktop computers a Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and a 256MB graphics card. Wireless communication with devices on the surface is handled using WiFi and Bluetooth antennas (future versions may incorporate RFID or Near Field Communications). The underlying operating system is a modified version of Microsoft Vista. (4) Projector: Microsoft's Surface uses the same DLP light engine found in many rear projection HDTVs. The footprint of the visible light screen, at 1024 x 768 pixels, is actually smaller than the invisible overlapping infrared projection to allow for better recognition at the edges of the screen.

WORKING
Microsoft Surface uses cameras to sense objects, hand gestures and touch. This user input is then processed and displayed using rear projection. Microsoft Surface uses this rear projection system which displays an image onto the underside of thin diffuser. Image processing system processes the camera images to detect fingers, custom tags and other objects such as paint brushes when touching the display. The objects recognized with this system are reported to applications running in the computer so that they can react to object shapes, 2D tags, movement and touch.

SPECIFICATIONS
DISPLAY Type: 30-inch XGA DLP projector. Graphics card with 256 MB of memory. Maximum resolution: 1024 x 768 Maximum pressure on the display: 50 pounds/square inch/3.5 kg per cm. INPUT Camera-based vision system with LED infrared direct illumination. Bluetooth keyboard and mouse (available to administrators).

SPECIFICATIONS
COMPUTING SYSYTEM 2.13-GHz Intel Core TM 2 Duo processor Memory: 2 GB dualchannel DDR2 AUDIO Output type: Stereo flat panel built-in speakers Output compliant standards: Stereo Input: None I/O CONNECTIONS 2 headphone jacks 6 USB 2.0 ports Ethernet port (Gigabit Ethernet card [10/100/1000]) External monitor port Bays for routing cables On/Standby power button

PROS
Large surface area to view different windows and applications. Data Manipulation - Selecting, moving, rotating and resizing (manipulating objects on the screen is similar to manipulating them in the manual world). Quick and easy to use. More Than One User Several people can orient themselves on different sides of the surface to interact with an application simultaneously (Max 52 points of touch). Object Recognition - Increased functionality aiding user in speed and ease of use Time saving by eliminating many processes.

CONS
Not portable and very expensive. Privacy - Open for many to view. Screen Visibility - Glare, finger prints/dirt and human interaction obscuring interface. Poor Accuracy - Fat fingers are not as accurate as a mouse or stylus. Fatigue - Reaching across the table often can cause the arms to ache. Objects needs to be tagged (domino tags or RFIDs).

FUTURE INNOVATIONS
Surface will continue to be sold to and used by restaurants, retail, leisure and public entertainment venues. Computer scientists hope to incorporate this kind of technology in peoples daily lives Future goals are to surround people with intelligent surfaces (look up recipes on your kitchen counter or table, control TV with coffee table, etc. Eventually every household may have one in place of their everyday coffee table.

CONCLUSION
Microsoft Surface is the future of computers. Fundamentally changes the way we interact with technology. Surface takes existing technology and presents it in a new way. It isn't simply a touch screen, but more of a touch-grab-move-slide-resize-and-place-objects-ontop-of-screen, and this opens up new possibilities that weren't there before.