Surface computer

Surface computer

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.

The category was created by Microsoft with "Surface" (codenamed Milan), the surface computer from Microsoft which was based entirely on a Multi-Touch interface and using a coffee-table like design, and was unveiled on 30 May, 2007. Users can interact with the machine by touching or dragging their fingertips and objects such as paintbrushes across the screen, or by setting real-world items tagged with special bar-code labels on top of it.

The Surface is a horizontal display on a table-like form. Somewhat similar to the iPhone, the Surface has a screen that can incorporate multiple touches and thus uses them to navigate multimedia content. Unlike the iPhone, which uses fingers' electrical properties to detect touch, the Surface utilizes a system of infrared cameras to detect input. Uploading digital files only requires each object (e.g. a Bluetooth-enabled digital camera) to be placed on the Surface. People can physically move around the picture across the screen with their hands, or even shrink or enlarge them. The first units of the Surface will be information kiosks in the Harrah's family of casinos.

Also receiving units will be T-Mobile, for comparing several cell phones side-by-side, and Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, which will use Surface to service lobby customers in numerous ways.cite news|first=Lev|last=Grossman|authorlink=Lev Grossman|title=Feeling out the Newest Touch Screens|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1633088,00.html|publisher=TIME|date=14 June, 2007|accessdate=2007-06-16] cite news|url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/may07/05-29MSSurfacePR.mspx|title=Microsoft Launches New Product Category: Surface Computing Comes to Life in Restaurants, Hotels, Retail Locations and Casino Resorts|publisher=Microsoft|date=29 May, 2007|accessdate=2007-06-16]

The Surface has a 3GHz Pentium 4 processor, 2GB of memory, an off the shelf graphics card, a scratch-proof spill-proof surface, a DLP projector, and 5 infrared cameras as mentioned above. However, the expensive components required for the interface also give the Surface a price tag of nearly $10,000.cite news|first=Ina|last=Fried|authorlink=Ina Fried|title=Microsoft hopes 'Milan' table PC has magic touch|url=http://news.com.com/Microsoft+hopes+Milan+table+PC+has+magic+touch/2100-1041_3-6186732.html?tag=nefd.lede|publisher=CNET News.com|date=29 May, 2007|accessdate=2007-05-30]

References

External links

* [http://www.microsoft.com/surface/ Microsoft Surface]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Computer representation of surfaces — Surface (computer) redirects here. For the table top computer, see Microsoft Surface. An open surface with u and v flow lines and Z contours shown. In technical applications of 3D computer graphics (CAx) such as computer aided design and computer …   Wikipedia

  • 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 has been said that …   Wikipedia

  • Surface-mount technology — (SMT) is a method for constructing electronic circuits in which the components (SMC, or Surface Mounted Components) are mounted directly onto the surface of printed circuit boards (PCBs). Electronic devices so made are called surface mount… …   Wikipedia

  • Surface (disambiguation) — Surface may mean:*Surface, a two dimensional manifold in mathematics *Microsoft Surface, a touch sensitive user interface from Microsoft * Surface (magazine), an American design magazine * Surface (TV series), an NBC television show *Surface… …   Wikipedia

  • Computer storage density — is a measure of the quantity of information bits that can be stored on a given length of track, area of surface, or in a given volume of a computer storage medium. Generally, higher density is more desirable, for it allows greater volumes of data …   Wikipedia

  • Computer vision — is the field concerned with automated imaging and automated computer based processing of images to extract and interpret information. It is the science and technology of machines that see. Here see means the machine is able to extract information …   Wikipedia

  • Computer ethics — is a branch of practical philosophy which deals with how computing professionals should make decisions regarding professional and social conduct.[1] Margaret Anne Pierce, a professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computers at Georgia… …   Wikipedia

  • Computer-supported collaboration — (CSC) research focuses on technology that affects groups, organizations, communities and societies, e.g., voice mail and text chat. It grew from cooperative work study of supporting people s work activities and working relationships. As net… …   Wikipedia

  • Computer valeting — is the in depth cleaning of the physical components of a personal computer. Usually performed by a computer repair technician, this service addresses the different ways that dirt builds up on four main components: the keyboard, the monitor, the… …   Wikipedia

  • Surface caching — is a computer graphics technique pioneered by John Carmack, first used in the computer game Quake . The traditional method of lighting a surface is to calculate the surface from the perspective of the viewer, and then apply the lighting to the… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”