SURFACE COMPUTER


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INTRODUCTION

Surface computing is the term for the use of a specialized computer GUI in which
traditional GUI elements are replaced by intuitive, everyday objects. Instead of a
keyboard and mouse, the user interacts directly with a touch-sensitive screen.It is a
natural user interface.
Surface computer was created by Microsoft with surface(code named Milan)
The Surface is a horizontal display on a table-like form.A surface computer is a computer
that interacts with the user through the surface of an ordinary object, rather than through a
monitor and keyboard.
A surface computer is able to recognize physical objects from a paintbrush to a cell
phone and allows hands-on, direct control of content such as photos, music and maps.
Surface turns an ordinary tabletop into a dynamic surface that provides interaction with
all forms of digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects.

HISTORY

· An Idea Inspired by Cross-Division Collaboration
Microsoft Research began working together on various projects that took advantage of
their complementary expertise in the areas of hardware and software. In one of their
regular brainstorm sessions, they started talking about an idea for an interactive table that
could understand the manipulation of physical pieces. Although there were related efforts
happening in academia, Bathiche and Wilson saw the need for a product where
theinteraction was richer and more intuitive, and at the same time practical for everyone
to use. This conversation was the beginning of an idea that would later result in the
development of Surface, and over the course of the following year, various people at
Microsoft involved in developing new product concepts, including the gaming-specific
PlayTable, continued to think through the possibilities and feasibility of the project.

Technology Behind Surface Computing

The technology allows non-digital objects to be used as input devices. This is made
possible by the fact that, in using cameras for input, the system does not rely on
restrictive properties required of conventional touch screen or touchpad devices such as
the capacitance, electrical resistance, or temperature etc.

What is Microsoft Surface?

Microsoft Surface is a touch-based graphical user interface. Using specialized hardware
designed to replace the keyboard and mouse used in typical computing applications,
Surface enables a level of interaction previously unattainable with conventional
hardware. The system is composed of a horizontal touchscreen under a coffee table-like
surface, with cameras mounted below to detect user interaction activities. All interface
components such as dialogs, mouse pointer, and windows, are replaced with circles and
rectangles outlining "objects" that are manipulated via drag and drop. The "objects" in
question can be either virtual objects displayed on the screen, or physical objects such as
cellphones, digital cameras, and PDAs placed on the screen.