Video: Microsoft researcher reveals futuristic tech

Future tech on display at Gartner Symposium/ITxpo

At the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo last week in San Francisco, Microsoft principal researcher Eric Horvitz demonstrated technologies--such as using hand gestures to manipulate data and a way to turn any surface into a computer display--that could one day be used in offices.

[Lord Anubis]

if you live in Silicon Valley, chances are you've been to the tech museum and seen that technology. Its relatively old and wasn't designed by Microsoft, however, they have expanded on the technology which is a good thing. Its sad most of the technology designed here in silicon valley mostly stays here.

[Lord Anubis]

someone disagreed with me, I guess they haven't been to the Tech Museum in Silicon Valley or they clicked the wrong button.

[power of Green]

Its the Island i'm telling you.

[Diselage]

We'll never understand it fully, we'll just use it.

[hamburgerhill]

Pretty impressive stuff there coming out with!

[Hydrolex]

I really dont care about microsoft ! Billy has 60 billion dollars and many africans die per second.

[shikwan]

Billy doesn't make laws or have national/international political power--the type of power which is needed to stop the African tragedy.

Bush has the power--but do you think he cares???

Vote, my friend...vote!!!!

[cookiemonster]

do you know how much bill has given to fund aids research and other charities? take a look you might be surprised.

besides bill is taking a back seat in the company. it's not like he can liquidate all ms assets.

but i guess ignorant people don't understand the complexities of this world. thats cereal box education for you...

[Hydrolex]

That is his money man. No body can suck his ****. He made 60 billion dollars. What's the point of saving money and dont sharing to poor people ? at age 60 go underground in a cemetery.

[Daz]

Why cant sony do it as well then?

[btkadams]

ive seen this before. old tech. but cool nonetheless

[BIadestarX]

OLD! HAHA! Dude I think you are talking about minority report... uhh... the movie... Sometimes I wish it was another company who came with these things... This would be Sony most of you would be kissing @$$.. but since it's microsoft, there is always a need to hate.
By the way, this makes the wiimote seem obsolete. This can have many gaming applications. I hope they implement something related with the next xbox.

[Saint Sony]

OLD?...why don't people realise it takes years to develop something like this. If you see early version of something and next stage after 5 years, it's still NEW technology under development.

Cool stuff and possibilities are endless.

[Merovee]

An electronic interface for the kitchen was coming to market a year ago with the exact same tech, it would project portion sizes and full recipies onto a counter and the motion sensors record which "buttons" you pushed and proceed as you dictate. Another company has actually released a projection keyboard for computers based on the idea too.

[BIadestarX]

And you are 100% sure it's the same technology? You ever head of patents? Just because blue tooth and wifi seem to be doing the same thing, it does not mean they are the same technology. "it would project portion sizes and full recipies onto a counter and the motion sensors record which "buttons" you pushed and proceed as you dictate" that right there, indicates it's hardly the same technology... didn't you see the video... they are talking about gesture... not some dump technology that can tell the difference between your penis or your finger position at a certain location. But then again, it you believe it's the same exact technology and it can be used for the same purposes I am not going to argue. Believe what you want to believe.

[techie]

yup this tech was developed by another independant company a while ago...they were looking for applications. Microsoft may be the company to take it along and fund it though.

It's the same with Microsofts "localised sound"...that was developed years ago by another company.

[progx]

Playing RTS games like that would be f***ing sweet.

[WilliamRLBaker]

Basically we wanted to make an RTS game bigger then no other, a game so massive you had to play it on an Imax screen, you know the ones that wrap near 180 degrees around you and are supposed to reflect what an eye sees, and you'd have to play with this pen pointer and point at the screen with a laser and the pen would have multiple buttons letting you do all these things, Id be like 20,000 units on the field at once!

[StrboyM]

your sir are an arse.

you think this makes the wii mote obsolete? when? when will this glorious new tech that hasent been implemented in pc's which its being designed for, going to grace the M$ console forefront...oh and what will the price be...lmao the wii is incredible because its simple and cost effective all the while delivering on what it promised.....fun!

please stop talking now

@ the topic, im pretty impressed by that vid clip..i would like to see more of it and boy we are really getting sloser and closer to virtual reality arent we.... think of a room with one of those projectors on each side creating images inbetween and the like...scary

[BIadestarX]

And you sir... are very easy to scared. You would probably be one of those people that wouldn't own a tv when they first came out because you though it was a crystal ball and evil magic.

"lmao the wii is incredible because its simple and cost effective all the while delivering on what it promised" actually, the wii is "incredible" because is innovative... simply because it bring a new way of playing games. Does it have better games than the other consoles? hardly.... I know it bothers you the idea that microsoft could bring something to the table, but you eventually are going to have to wake up. That's what companies do when they have the money and resources they have. So, just craw under the rock you came from if you don't want to hear anyone talk about this technology being research by microsoft on an article about this techonology being research by microsoft... errr...

[Marriot VP]

minority report anybody

pump up the Tchaikovsky

[Lord Anubis]

if you've been to a mall in the silicon valley area, you will find something like that for kids. Former Sony owned Metreon (the home of the Official PlayStation Store in San Francisco), has something similar for kids, they jump around moving bubbles and figures, they seem to have a lot of fun but the only problem is that in the middle of the walkway.

[Lord Anubis]

here, I found an image of the tech on the Metreon. Except a girl is standing on it and not kids like you will most likely see when going to the food pavillion.

its the same technology but Microsoft has improved upon it, if there's something that boils my blood is not giving credit to those that designed the technology, if anyone watches the video they are going to think Microsoft developed the technology and that's completely false, they have improved upon it.

[BIadestarX]

Yeah, I seem those at some teatre...
I don't think you guys saw the video or you fail to understand it. What you are talking about is projector with some dumb sensor that indicate the position of objects within the projector's limit.
Though what microsoft is researching has light and has sensor to map the location of objects, what makes it interesting is the ability to tell the difference between your finger and your head, it's also capable of detecting gesture, rotation. It's also able to scan objects and creating a virtual representation so someone else across the glove can interact with. It knows the difference between one object and another.

Let me ask you this. Aside from collition detection. i.e. bubble bounce against where the kid is... what else can this technology do? I've being under one of those lights... and yeah.... kids love it.