Microsoft PixelSense
| Microsoft PixelSense
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| Basic data
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| developer | Microsoft |
| Publishing year | April 17, 2008 |
| Current version | 2.0 (January 6, 2011) |
| operating system | Version 1.0: Microsoft Windows Vista
Version 2.0 Microsoft Windows 7 |
| programming language | C , C ++ , C # , VB.NET and assembly language |
| category | Multi-touch devices |
| License | proprietary |
| German speaking | No |
| Microsoft PixelSense | |
Microsoft PixelSense is a computer made by Microsoft in the form of an interactive table. It was introduced on May 30, 2007 and ran until June 2012 under the name Microsoft Surface (code name Milan ). It works without a mouse , keyboard or other conventional input devices . All entries are made by hand (or several hands) on the 30 or 40 inch tabletop. This technology, called multi-touch , allows interactions between humans and computers or between computers and other devices.
history
The technology on which this computer is based was developed as early as 1982. Even then, initial research on multi-touch devices was taking place at the University of Toronto and Bell Laboratories . The actual concept was devised in 2001 by Microsoft employees Steven Bathiche and Andrew D. Wilson. In October 2001, under the leadership of the two, a project group was founded to push the concept forward.
In 2003 the idea was presented to Microsoft chairman Bill Gates . As a result, the development team was enlarged and a first prototype was built from an Ikea table. By 2005, a total of over 85 prototypes and some software applications had been completed.
Steve Ballmer finally presented the Surface on May 30, 2007 as part of the "D: All Things Digital" conference in Carlsbad , California . For the time being, it will only be sold to corporate customers. The purpose of the device, which initially costs US $ 12,500 and has been on sale since spring 2008, will be restaurants, hotels and shops. The desktop computers were first used in the stores of the mobile operator AT&T and in a casino in Las Vegas . The next companies that want to use the Surface will also include T-Mobile USA .
In June 2012, the computer was renamed from Microsoft Surface to Microsoft PixelSense , or Samsung SUR40 with Microsoft PixelSense , because new tablet computers with Windows 8 were introduced under the previous name .
Functions
The PixelSense / Surface is based on a new user interface called NUI ( Natural User Interface ). It does not require any input devices such as a mouse or keyboard. Instead, infrared reflections are recorded by five cameras installed inside the box. In principle, the system is comparable to the functionality of a touchscreen , but enables much more complex inputs. For example, it is possible to use any number of fingers at the same time or to recognize objects. This allows the user to perform actions with both hands or to work with other users on the screen, for example as part of a tabletop groupware . The device is theoretically able to register and process an unlimited number of contact points. The specification from Microsoft is that at least four people with ten fingers and 3 objects each have to be able to work on it at the same time without the performance suffering.
The display lies horizontally on a black box in which the hardware is located. It resembles a coffee table in design . This structure enables several people to sit around the device and use it together.
The PixelSense / Surface uses Microsoft's Vista Business operating system and has, among other things, WLAN ( IEEE 802.11b / g ), Ethernet 10/100 and Bluetooth 2.0 .
Technical specifications
The device measures 56 cm in height, 53 cm in depth and 107 cm in width. Its display is 30 "(76 cm) in size and consists of plexiglass from Evonik Röhm GmbH from Darmstadt (Hessen), which rests on a powder-coated steel frame. The standard resolution is 1024 × 768 pixels.
Platform 2
On January 5, 2011, Microsoft presented the second version of the Surface Computer at CES 2011. The device was developed in cooperation with Samsung , is only approx. 10 cm thick and can now also be used in a standing position. The hardware has been revised in the newer version. The Surface 2.0 now has a 1080p LCD HD screen with a diagonal of 40 inches (102 cm), an AMD Athlon II X2 is used as the processor and a Radeon HD 6700M is used as the graphics card . Windows 7 is used as the operating system . Instead of infrared cameras, the so-called PixelSense technology is now used on the screen , in which every eighth pixel on the screen acts as an optical sensor.
Technical specifications
Samsung SUR40 with Microsoft PixelSense
Software development kit (SDK): Microsoft Surface 2.0
Display: Thin LCD w / PixelSense technology
Weight: 36 kg
Dimensions (L × W × H): 108.5 × 69.9 × 10.2 cm)
CPU: AMD Athlon II X2 245e 2.9 GHz dual-core processor
Graphics (GPU): AMD Radeon HD 6570M - 1 GB GDDR5
RAM memory: 4 GB DDR3
Hard disk: 320 GB HDD
Display: 40 "(101.6 cm), resolution: 1920 × 1080 - 16: 9
Connections: HDMI input & output, S / PDIF 5.1 digital audio surround sound out, RCA analog component audio out, 3.5 mm TRS (stereo mini-jack) audio out, 4 × USB Network: Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth, Ethernet 10 / 100/1000
Operating system: Windows 7 Professional for Embedded Systems (64-bit)
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ billbuxton.com
- ↑ spiegel.de
- ↑ "Mr. Calculator, I'll have another drink then" . ( Memento from May 5, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) In: Netzeitung , July 23, 2008
- ↑ microsoft.com: Microsoft Launches New Product Category: Surface Computing Comes to Life in Restaurants, Hotels, Retail Locations and Casino Resorts (press release of May 29, 2007) ( Memento of February 16, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ theverge.com: Microsoft rebrands original Surface table-based touchscreen as PixelSense (June 19, 2012) , accessed June 19, 2012
- ↑ ZDNet : CES: Microsoft presents Surface 2.0 desktop computer (January 7, 2011) , accessed on June 19, 2012
- ↑ FAZ.net : Surface (January 27, 2012) , accessed on June 19, 2012