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Hi Eric!

I admit I am salivating at the prospect.  Lots of great possibilities!

From what I read in USA Today yesterday (Wed., May 30), it looks to be
camera tracking, and is able then to read bar codes and other visual scan
interfaces, which opens an interesting possibility on how people can
interact with Surface.  Makes an interesting thought to allow people to just
set their museum membership card down on the tabletop and out spills your
last visit, things you wanted to see again, perhaps even pics from your ride
on whatever big weenie is at the museum.
<http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/2007-05-29-microsoft-surface_N.htm?cs
p=34>

And an excerpt: " What's more, while a version of Vista helps make the table
interactive, Microsoft has been careful to leave the familiar computer
interface out of it. You won't see a "Start" button or any other icons,
objects and folders common to Windows, even when booting up the system."  So
hopefully no appearances of the dreaded blue screen of death...

Best-

Samson


-- 
Sam Dean
Director of Special Programs
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
1501 Montgomery Street
Fort Worth, TX 76107
817.255.9300 ext. 302
www.fortworthmuseum.org

> From: Eric Siegel <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Wed, 30 May 2007 21:42:04 -0400
> Subject: Multi Touch Display
> 
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
> 
> Hello All:
> 
> Microsoft just came out with a new multitouch display called Surface.
> <http://www.microsoft.com/surface/> <http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/
> techandyou/archive/2007/05/29/microsoft-runs-the-table.aspx>.  It
> appears similar to Jeff Han's groundbreaking work, but seems to use
> different technology.  I think the Microsoft version uses video
> tracking, while Jeff uses something called "total frustrated internal
> reflection."
> 
> Jeff's feels great, and would make a great interface for
> exhibitions.  I wonder how Microsoft's will work in actuality...after
> all it does run Vista.
> 
> Eric Siegel
> New York Hall of Science
> [log in to unmask]
> (718) 699-0005 x 317
> 
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