Microsoft turns room into a PC
Published: 03 Aug 2009 08:08 BST
Microsoft's gesture-recognition technology, Project Natal, could transform the office, according to top company executive Craig Mundie.
In a demonstration on Thursday, Microsoft's top research and strategy officer showed how the desktop computer of the future will use an entire office as both display and input device. The room used voice and gestures as input, in addition to touch input via a number of touchscreens.
"The real question is what killer apps [will mark the] new era, and what will be the user interface that people use to get at them," Mundie said, speaking at Microsoft's financial analyst meeting in Redmond.
His demonstration included hologram-like videoconferencing, a virtual digital assistant and multiple surface computers, along with voice, touch and gesture recognition. The desk was a multitouch surface computer. The office's walls were also a display that could easily switch from being a virtual window and collection of digital photos, to being a corkboard of sticky notes to various workspaces.
In one part, Mundie used Natal-like depth cameras to put himself in the middle of an architectural demo, essentially putting himself inside a building that was not yet built.
Mundie's talk followed one by entertainment chief Robbie Bach, who demonstrated the gaming potential of Natal. Bach played a breakout-like game called Riccochet, where players use their body to push, block and kick balls at various bricks. Microsoft showed Natal at the E3 trade show earlier this year, but has not said when the Xbox 360 add-on will be commercially available.
"I'm not playing the Riccochet game, but I am using these technologies," Mundie said. "This is our dream, but it is really not that far away. We see a pretty direct path to make this happen. We have all of the technologies to make this happen in our research labs."
In an interview earlier this month, Bill Gates told ZDNet UK's sister site CNET News.com that Microsoft plans to use Natal far beyond the Xbox, including in Windows.
Credit: Mundie: The desktop of the future is a room Mundie: The desktop of the future is a room from CNET News
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