Multimedia Technology Article

A lot of computer manufacturers are trying to make gadgets smaller as they progress into the new digital age, but this isn’t the case for American based software and hardware distributor “Microsoft”.

Microsoft believes that bigger is turning out to be better, due to a recently developed technology that grasp’s the ideals of future multimedia technology and touch screen devices.

The device is called Microsoft Surface, which is a 30-inch tabletop display that lets users interact with digital content by touching and moving items on screen.

Obviously at this point in time, the product itself may not be very practical for an average household, but is perfect for businesses such as, restaurants, hotels, retailers, public entertainment and public information. This is because the device offers interaction for multiple users, which is key to the integral part of communication that lies in every business.

A given example would be an information desk in a town or city, because users would be able to search for tourist attractions or plan routes to destinations from the information desk itself.

One feature that I was particularly impressed by was the fact that Microsoft Surface can deal with Multi-Touch Contact, meaning that more than one person can interact with the display at any given time, as opposed to an original touch screen monitor that only let one user interact with the display.

Object recognition is also a key element that lies within Microsoft Surface. Users can place physical objects on the touch screen display which range from digital cameras to drinking glasses. The objects trigger different types of digital responses which the user can interact with, for example, users can browse through the content of an mp3 player on the tabletop display and then drag and drop a file to be played by the music software on Microsoft Surface.

In a business situation, a physical object such as a glass could be left on the tabletop display with a certain amount of liquid in it, the tabletop device would be linked to staff behind a bar in a hotel, once the drink begins to get low, the device would then tell the bar staff that maybe the customer would like another drink.

A diagram is noted below to show how the tabletop display system works.

1. Touch sensitive acrylic pad and tabletop display.

2. Infrared system which reflects light to measure such things as amounts of liquid in a glass placed on the tabletop display.

3. The computer hardware (CPU, Central Processing Unit) that powers the operating system, Windows Vista.

4. The projector, which projects the screen full of 1024 x 768 pixels onto the tabletop display.

In conclusion, Microsoft Surface will make a huge impact on businesses and companies around the world, thanks to their new technology which will take users through new and easier experiences.

This new multimedia experience will expand and most definetely be a feature in all businesses in years to come.

Bibliography:

http://www.cheaplaptops.org.uk/20070601/microsoft-surface-diagram-how-it-all-works/

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/about.html#section=Press

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2008/10/computer-table-hybrid-knows-wh.html