01-12-2012, 01:21 PM
MICROSOFT SURFACE: MULTI-TOUCH TECHNOLOGY
[attachment=42051]
What are multi-touch surfaces?
Multi-touch surfaces allow for a device to recognize two or more simultaneous touches by more
than one user. Some have the ability to recognize objects by distinguishing between the
differences in pressure and temperature of what is placed on the surface. Depending on the size
and applications installed in the surface, two or more people can be doing different or
independent applications on the device. Multi-touch computing is the direct manipulation of
virtual objects, pages, and images allowing you to swipe, pinch, grab, rotate, type, and command
them eliminating the need for a keyboard and a mouse. Everything can be done with our finger
tips.
Microsoft Surface
Defined:
Microsoft Surface is an interactive table top that can do everything a network computer can do
plus more without using a keyboard or a mouse. There are four key features: direct interaction,
multi-touch ability, multi-user ability, and object recognition. Direct interaction allows you to
touch or grab digital information with your hands and use natural gestures to open, grasp, and
command virtual objects, pages and images. The multi-touch feature enables the Surface to
recognize many points of contact simultaneously so you can enlarge an image by touching the
opposite corners and dragging them outwards. Along with the multi-touch feature, the shape and
design of the Surface allows for multi-users at once, therefore, the user sitting across from you
can be doing something completely different or independent of you. The last key feature, object
recognition, enables the system to identify physical objects just by setting them on the Surface
and to respond by displaying the appropriate software related to that item. Currently, Microsoft
Surface is being marketed and sold directly to large scale leisure, entertainment and retail
companies, such as AT&T in various cities, Rio in Las Vegas, and Sheraton Hotels in various
cities. The image below of a part of the order form shows the pricing information (Figure A).
Technical Aspects/Features:
These all have the same basic framework using cameras to sense objects, hand gestures, and
touch. The user input is then processed and displayed on the surface using rear projection. The
following is a diagram of the Microsoft Surface (Figure B) and an explanation of the parts.
1) Screen: The Surface has an acrylic tabletop which a diffuser makes capable of
processing multiple inputs from multiple users. Objects can also be recognized by their
shapes or reading coded tags.
2) Infrared: Infrared light is projected onto the underside of the diffuser. Objects or fingers
are visible through the diffuser by series of infrared-sensitive cameras which are
positioned underneath the surface of the tabletop.
3) CPU – This is similar to a regular desktop. The underlying operating system is a
modified version of Microsoft Vista.
4) Projector – The Surface uses the same DLP light engine in many rear-projection tvs.
Education Implications:
• Today’s computers allow you to have multiple applications in multiple windows but they
probably only have one keyboard and mouse which means only one person can operate at
a time. These Surfaces engage the senses, improve collaboration, and empower the
students by having everything available to them at their finger tips.
• Interactive Classrooms: The multi-touch surface computers will encourage the students
to interact with content and each other promoting group work and team building skills.
• Students would have custom built hardware where they can create their assignments and
teachers may be able to see it instantly and help the students.
• Students sitting around the table may open a file, push it across, drag it, modify it, let
another student add or delete information and then save the document.
• In a photography class, the students could share their images instantly.
• In an art class, one student could be painting with a paint brush while another is drawing
with her finger. Both the paint brush and the finger would be recognized.
• In Business classes, specifically accounting, having access to a computer right at your
finger tips will help the students learn faster and comprehend on a higher level I believe.
It’s a lot easier to follow along on an Excel spreadsheet when you can highlight the cell
and see for yourself what the formula is or where that amount came from. Allowing
students the ability to actively participate while teaching them about constructing a
balance sheet will make it easier for the students to not only comprehend the material but
also retain the material in my opinion.
Factors:
Microsoft Surface is a table-like structure with a 30-inch display screen centered on the top or
“surface” of the table. The software runs on Windows Vista and has many type of connection
capabilities depending on your needs, such as a regular network card (wired Ethernet 10/100),
wireless network card (wireless 802.11 b/g), and Bluetooth card connectivity (used for
headphone, printer, etc. connections). As far as technology support, each school would need to
have a full time network administrator on site along with team of additional IT support. The
increase in number of users would need to be addressed prior to implementing these into all
classrooms. The ideal situation would be to have “dumb terminals”, i.e. each desk would be a
Surface minus the CPU. The information would not be stored locally. The teacher would have
the main Surface and the students’ smaller Surfaces would link to the teacher’s. The student’s
information and data would be stored on the school’s central server so that as they move from
class to class they can still access their information. For additional software capabilities the
school would need to purchase a server license so that any computer connected to that server
would have access to the software.
The Future:
What I would like to see happen is each student’s desk top be replaced by a multi-touch
technology similar to the Microsoft Surface. Each classroom and teacher would have their
Surface applications customized to fit their specific curriculum. These devices offer various
ways of visualizing the information in order to improve understanding which enables our
students to excel. I feel we need to find ways to keep up with the rapidly growing world of
technology and integrate it into our classrooms or our students are going to surpass us and figure
out ways to do things better and faster at home on their own personal computer. With Microsoft
Surface the opportunities are endless with the ability to create custom applications for specific
businesses or educational purposes or building packaged applications for use across a range of
industries or schools.
[attachment=42051]
What are multi-touch surfaces?
Multi-touch surfaces allow for a device to recognize two or more simultaneous touches by more
than one user. Some have the ability to recognize objects by distinguishing between the
differences in pressure and temperature of what is placed on the surface. Depending on the size
and applications installed in the surface, two or more people can be doing different or
independent applications on the device. Multi-touch computing is the direct manipulation of
virtual objects, pages, and images allowing you to swipe, pinch, grab, rotate, type, and command
them eliminating the need for a keyboard and a mouse. Everything can be done with our finger
tips.
Microsoft Surface
Defined:
Microsoft Surface is an interactive table top that can do everything a network computer can do
plus more without using a keyboard or a mouse. There are four key features: direct interaction,
multi-touch ability, multi-user ability, and object recognition. Direct interaction allows you to
touch or grab digital information with your hands and use natural gestures to open, grasp, and
command virtual objects, pages and images. The multi-touch feature enables the Surface to
recognize many points of contact simultaneously so you can enlarge an image by touching the
opposite corners and dragging them outwards. Along with the multi-touch feature, the shape and
design of the Surface allows for multi-users at once, therefore, the user sitting across from you
can be doing something completely different or independent of you. The last key feature, object
recognition, enables the system to identify physical objects just by setting them on the Surface
and to respond by displaying the appropriate software related to that item. Currently, Microsoft
Surface is being marketed and sold directly to large scale leisure, entertainment and retail
companies, such as AT&T in various cities, Rio in Las Vegas, and Sheraton Hotels in various
cities. The image below of a part of the order form shows the pricing information (Figure A).
Technical Aspects/Features:
These all have the same basic framework using cameras to sense objects, hand gestures, and
touch. The user input is then processed and displayed on the surface using rear projection. The
following is a diagram of the Microsoft Surface (Figure B) and an explanation of the parts.
1) Screen: The Surface has an acrylic tabletop which a diffuser makes capable of
processing multiple inputs from multiple users. Objects can also be recognized by their
shapes or reading coded tags.
2) Infrared: Infrared light is projected onto the underside of the diffuser. Objects or fingers
are visible through the diffuser by series of infrared-sensitive cameras which are
positioned underneath the surface of the tabletop.
3) CPU – This is similar to a regular desktop. The underlying operating system is a
modified version of Microsoft Vista.
4) Projector – The Surface uses the same DLP light engine in many rear-projection tvs.
Education Implications:
• Today’s computers allow you to have multiple applications in multiple windows but they
probably only have one keyboard and mouse which means only one person can operate at
a time. These Surfaces engage the senses, improve collaboration, and empower the
students by having everything available to them at their finger tips.
• Interactive Classrooms: The multi-touch surface computers will encourage the students
to interact with content and each other promoting group work and team building skills.
• Students would have custom built hardware where they can create their assignments and
teachers may be able to see it instantly and help the students.
• Students sitting around the table may open a file, push it across, drag it, modify it, let
another student add or delete information and then save the document.
• In a photography class, the students could share their images instantly.
• In an art class, one student could be painting with a paint brush while another is drawing
with her finger. Both the paint brush and the finger would be recognized.
• In Business classes, specifically accounting, having access to a computer right at your
finger tips will help the students learn faster and comprehend on a higher level I believe.
It’s a lot easier to follow along on an Excel spreadsheet when you can highlight the cell
and see for yourself what the formula is or where that amount came from. Allowing
students the ability to actively participate while teaching them about constructing a
balance sheet will make it easier for the students to not only comprehend the material but
also retain the material in my opinion.
Factors:
Microsoft Surface is a table-like structure with a 30-inch display screen centered on the top or
“surface” of the table. The software runs on Windows Vista and has many type of connection
capabilities depending on your needs, such as a regular network card (wired Ethernet 10/100),
wireless network card (wireless 802.11 b/g), and Bluetooth card connectivity (used for
headphone, printer, etc. connections). As far as technology support, each school would need to
have a full time network administrator on site along with team of additional IT support. The
increase in number of users would need to be addressed prior to implementing these into all
classrooms. The ideal situation would be to have “dumb terminals”, i.e. each desk would be a
Surface minus the CPU. The information would not be stored locally. The teacher would have
the main Surface and the students’ smaller Surfaces would link to the teacher’s. The student’s
information and data would be stored on the school’s central server so that as they move from
class to class they can still access their information. For additional software capabilities the
school would need to purchase a server license so that any computer connected to that server
would have access to the software.
The Future:
What I would like to see happen is each student’s desk top be replaced by a multi-touch
technology similar to the Microsoft Surface. Each classroom and teacher would have their
Surface applications customized to fit their specific curriculum. These devices offer various
ways of visualizing the information in order to improve understanding which enables our
students to excel. I feel we need to find ways to keep up with the rapidly growing world of
technology and integrate it into our classrooms or our students are going to surpass us and figure
out ways to do things better and faster at home on their own personal computer. With Microsoft
Surface the opportunities are endless with the ability to create custom applications for specific
businesses or educational purposes or building packaged applications for use across a range of
industries or schools.