A

Presentation
On

“SURFACE COMPUTING”
At
AZZARO-2008
(Haryana Engineering College,Jagadhri)

Under The Guidance Of: Presented By:

Mr. Chandesh Chhabra Nidhi Malhotra
Faculty Deepti Singh
MCA Department MCA 4th Semester

Tilak Raj Chadha Institute of Management &

Technology
Yamuna Nagar-135001

(Affiliated to Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra)

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
 Introduction to Surface Computing.

 Microsoft Surface.

 Components of Microsoft surface.

 Working of components.

 Advantages and Challenges.

 Future and Applications.

 Conclusion.

 Resources.
 INTRODUCTION TO SURFACECOMPUTING

Today in the era of technology, we everyday encounter a new research product.

Large number of scientists all over the world is being engaged in

inventing new things making the life of humans more comfortable.

Computers are one of such revolutionary invention which has revolutionized the
whole world. The look, feel and functionality of computers kept on changing from its
birth till now. We very well know about the generation of computers and basic
components of computer i.e. screen CPU and keyboard etc.

But researchers have moved one step ahead, they have moved beyond the
traditional screen, keyboard & mouse to alternate surface for input and output.

And from here surface computing came into picture.

Surface Computing is completely intuitive and liberating way to interact with digital
content. It blurs the lines between the physical and the virtual worlds without using mouse
and keyboard.
It is basically an idea of turning an ordinary surface into an active computer
surface. This system turns an ordinary table top into an interactive surface
that could be used for playing games, among other things.
Origin:
When Steve Bathiche and Andy Wilson conceived their idea of “surface
computing” at Microsoft in 2001, they were way ahead of their time.
The engineers wanted to create a table that could interact with objects placed on top of it.
They led a small team starting in October of 2001 that sought to build a new way of
interacting with a computer through touch and vision.

Early on, Bathiche and Wilson thought they would build a PlayTable, something that
would be used for games such as pinball. By early 2003, the team made a presentation to
Bill Gates. He liked the idea and encouraged more exploration. The team started
developing applications such as a pinball game, a photo browser and a video puzzle.

About six years later, Microsoft has finally unveiled its Surface Computer.
 MICROSOFT SURFACE

Microsoft Surface is first in new category of surface computing products from Microsoft
that breaks down traditional barriers between people and technology.
The word “Surface” is derived from Surface computing. Surface turns an ordinary
tabletop into vibrant, dynamic surface that provides effortless interaction with all forms of
digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects.
Surface lets us manipulate a tremendous amount of information with our hands so
the content work with you rather than for you for eg: we can manipulate map and move
it, shrink it and access personalized data for local sites, attractions and venues.
With the Surface’s photo application, you have the ability to sort through pictures,
decides which one to share, zoom in for closer look and more.

Surface computing at Microsoft is an outgrowth of a collaborative effort between the

Microsoft Hardware and Microsoft Research teams, which were struck by the opportunity
to create technology that would bridge the physical and virtual worlds which will
transform the way people shop, dine, entertain and live.

It’s a major advancement that moves beyond the traditional user interface
to a more natural way of interacting with information.

Surface computing, which Microsoft has been working on for a number of

years, features four key attributes:

• Direct interaction:

Users can actually “grab” digital information with their hands, interacting with
content by touch and gesture, without the use of a mouse or keyboard.
• Multi-touch:

Surface computing recognizes many points of contact

simultaneously, not just from one finger like a typical touch-screen, but up to dozens of
items at once.

• Multi-user:

The horizontal form factor makes it easy for several people to gather
around surface computers together, providing a collaborative, face-to-face computing
experience.
• Object recognition:

Users can place physical objects on the surface to trigger different

types of digital responses, including the transfer of digital content.
 COMPONENTS

• 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" tag.

• 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 with a net resolution of 1280 x 960.
• CPU: Surface uses many of the same components found in everyday desktop
computers — a Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and a 256MB graphics
card. Wireless communication with devices on the surface is handled using
WiFi and Bluetooth antennas (future versions may incorporate RFID or Near
Field Communications). The underlying operating system is a modified
version of Microsoft Vista.

• Projector: Microsoft's Surface uses the same DLP light engine found in
many rear-projection HDTV’s. The footprint of the visible light screen, at
1024 x 768 pixels, is actually smaller than the invisible overlapping infrared
projection to allow for better recognition at the edges of the screen.
 WORKING

Surface is a 30 inch display in a table like form factor that small group can use at a same
time.

One of the key components of surface computing is a “multitouch” screen which

accepts input from multiple fingers and multiple users simultaneously, allowing for
complex gestures, including grabbing, stretching, swiveling and sliding virtual objects
across the table.

Multi touch screen:

Touch sensing is common Place for single points ofcontact, multi-touch sensing
enables a user to interact with a system with more than one finger at a
time.
Such sensing devices are inherently also able to
accommodate multiple users simultaneously, which is especially useful for larger
interaction scenarios such as interactive walls and tabletops.

The FTIR (frustrated total internal reflection) sensing technique is used.

This technique is force-sensitive, and provides unprecedented resolution and scalability,

allow to create sophisticated multi-point widgets for applications large enough to
accommodate both hands and multiple users.
Basic components of multitouch screen are:

Touch Screen Sensor:

A touch screen sensor is a glass plate having touch responsive surface. The touch sensor
is positioned over a display screen so that the responsive area of the plate covers the
maximum viewable area of the video screen. There are number of touch sensor
technologies available in the market today, each using a different approach to detect touch
input.

The sensor has an electrical current or signal passing through it and touching the screen
causes change in voltage or signal. This voltage or signal change is used to find out the
location of the touch to the screen.

Controller:
The controller used in touch screen is a small PC card that interconnects between the
touch sensor and the PC. Controller takes data from the touch sensor and converts it into
information that PC can understand. For integrated monitors, the controller is usually
installed inside the monitor or it is placed in a plastic case for external touch add-
ons/overlays. The controller is useful to determine what type of interface/connection you
will need on the PC. Integrated touch monitors are provided with an extra cable
connection on the back for the touch screen. Controllers are available by connecting to a
Serial/COM port (PC) or to a USB port (PC or Macintosh).

Software Driver:
The driver is software for the PC system that permits the touch screen and computer to
work together. It tells operating system of computer how to interpret the touch event
information that is sent from the controller. Today’s touch screen drivers are a mouse-
emulation type driver. This makes touching the screen the same as clicking your mouse at
the same location on the screen. This permits the touch screen to work with existing
software and provide new applications to be developed without the need for touch screen
specific programming. Some devices such as thin client terminals, DVD players and
specialized computer systems either do not use software drivers or they have their own in
-built touch screen driver.
 ADVANTAGES

 More interactive.
 Easy usage.
 No requirement of knowledge.
 Multiuser system.
 No more mess of cables.

CHALLENGES

 Expensive
 Built for specific task.
 FUTURE AND APPLICATIONS

Basic applications of Microsoft surface is in leisure, entertainment and retail industry.

Surface has potential to span many industries as there is significant market for it.

There are half a million restaurants,hotels and retailers in U.S. alone.

The companies to roll out with Surface are:

• Harrah’s Entertainment
• Starwood hotels & resorts.
• T-mobile

Surface is a splashy new computer interface, surrounded by hype, but it is also, quite
literally, furniture. It is a technology in its infancy, where even the engineers behind it
can't predict its full impact; but the possibilities are everywhere, underhand and underfoot
on every surface imaginable.
 CONCLUSION

Many people today are intimidated and isolated of technology.many features are available
in mobile phones,PC’s and other electronic devices like digital cameras are noy even used
because technology is intimidating.Surface computing breaks down this barrier to
technology so that people can interact with digital contents in more intuitive,engaging and
efficient manner.

It is about technology adapting to user, rather than user adapting to

technology.

RESOURCES

1.) IEEE Journals

2.)www.popularmechanics.com

3.)www.micosoft.com/surface.

4.)http://Seattlepi_com microsoft blog surface demo.

5.)http://network_strategy blogspot.com/2007/06/Microsoft-surface-thinking through