18-05-2012, 03:00 PM
Surface computing
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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.
Four Key Attributes
Direct Interaction
Direct interaction means that, we can interact with the Surface by using our fingers. No other input device is needed to give input. This provides a natural interface effect.
Multi-user experience
The horizontal form factor makes it easy for several people to gather around surface computers together, providing a collaborative, face to face computing experience.
Multi-touch contact
Surface computing recognizes many points of contact simultaneously, not just from one finger as with a typical touch screen, but up to dozens and dozens of items at once.
Object recognition
Users can place physical objects on the surface to trigger different types of digital responses, including the transfer of digital content. Object recognition is done in the surface by using special bar codes called Domino tags.
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.
The computer's "vision" is created by a near-infrared, 850-nanometer-wavelength LED light source aimed at the surface.
When an object touches the tabletop, the light is reflected to multiple infrared cameras allowing it to sense, and react to items touching the tabletop.
Microsoft Surface uses cameras to sense objects, hand gestures and touch. This user input is then processed and displayed using rear projection.
Specifically:
Microsoft Surface uses a rear projection system which displays an image onto the underside of a thin diffuser. An image processing system processes the camera images to detect fingers, custom tags and other objects such as paint brushes etc when touching the display.
The objects recognized with this system are reported to applications running in the computer so that they can react to object shapes, 2D tags, movement and touch.
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. Physical objects are automatically identified and connected to the Surface computer upon their placement on the screen. With no interface text, the Surface computer can be used by speakers of any language and any competency level.
Surface's main feature is the apparent simplicity with which common computing tasks can be performed. Most operations are performed without dialogs or wizards. For instance, pictures in a digital camera placed on the surface are automatically downloaded to the device and displayed on the screen. Transferring those pictures to another device, such as a compatible cellphone, simply requires the user to place the cellphone on the surface and to drag the pictures in it's direction. While the potential security implications of this type of interaction are obvious, and Microsoft's solutions to the issue are vague at best. Devices are identified by a one-byte "domino" tag on their sides, which is easily forged with a pencil. Although the underlying bluetooth and wifi technologies are considered safe for the transfer of the data itself, the ease in which documents can be accidentally or maliciously copied is alarming. This is typical of Microsoft products, which generally sacrifice security for convenience and simplicity of use.
Hardware
Hradware of surface computer consists of 4 parts
1.Screen
2.Infrared
3.CPU
4.Projector
(1)Screen: A diffuser turns the Surface's acrylic tabletop into a large horizontal "multitouch" screen, capable of processing multiple inputs from multiple users. The Surface can also recognize objects by their shapes or by reading coded "domino" tags.
(2) Infrared: Surface's "machine vision" operates in the near-infrared spectrum, using an 850-nanometer-wavelength LED light source aimed at the screen. When objects touch the tabletop, the light reflects back and is picked up by multiple infrared cameras.
(3) CPU: Surface uses many of the same components found in everyday desktop computers. Wireless communication with devices on the surface is handled using WiFi and Bluetooth antennas.
(4) Projector: Microsoft's Surface uses the same DLP light engine found in many rear projection HDTV’s (High Definition Televisions). The display screen is a rear-projected DLP display. The cameras can read a nearly infinite number of simultaneous touches and are limited only by processing power. Right now, Surface is optimized for 52 touches, or enough for four people to use all 10 fingers at once and still have 12 objects sitting on the table.