Microsoft Research TechFest 2007

I attended Microsoft TechFest 2007 three weeks ago. I have seen very cool researches going on, and I almost experienced everything myself.

One of the interesting researches that I played with was "Surface-Computing Innovations". Surface computing uses sensing and display technology to imbue everyday surfaces with interaction. PlayAnywhere is a compact surface-computing system shown at TechFest.

The first demo in the video shows a car game, where cars are driven in an environment built using real-time terrain generation with XNA through the use of a depth-sensing video camera and real world objects. To make it easier and shorter for every one to understand, it's just AMAZING!!

 

Streaming video from Channel 9.

For more information go to Microsoft Research.

Comments

• Anonymous
  March 27, 2007
  I'm speechless...

• Anonymous
  March 28, 2007
  Ohh an awful comment, if you can delete the previous one it will be better because I am gonna repeat it here, so let's write it in different way :) Terrain generation is working using the depth information since the moment it was invented, you can just have an already made Terrain renderer (or built your own Terrain renderer because it's not hard) and attach a physics engine to your renderer, and you'll be able to produce this. The only thing you need is the bitmap information stored on grayscale image (for old terrain renderers) or true color image (for modern terrain renderers) to help you build your depth information. So the new idea here is to use this special camera to achieve this goal, in other words the idea is not new, but using it in this way is new and amazing.

• Anonymous
  March 29, 2007
  Hmm the video link seems to be broken - I don't see it. But I know what you are talking about...We played this game together actually and it was pretty cool :)

• Anonymous
  April 09, 2007
  Cool...Research is always the best part of the work :D @Hany - I'm very very concerned about the H-1B issue...I'm very sad that all international recruiting has been freezed due to this big issue. And know that the visas will be sorted randomly concerns me too...I'd never been a lucky guy...Do you know something else about this? Please, mail me if you have any info :) kdusilvestre AT gmail DOT com

• Anonymous
  April 14, 2007
  Carlos - Unfortunately I don't have any more information than what you already have. I have asked Anne which is an international recruiter here at MS. Short summary for you is that the H1B cap was reached after the first day it opened.  This means all H1B applicants are now going to be entered into a lottery to see who will receive work authorization. I think many at Microsoft including myself agree that the H1B cap is stifling and should be eliminated. “Gates said visa restrictions are keeping too many bright, educated people from working in the United States. "A policy that limits too many smart people coming to the United States is questionable," Gates said. "The visa issue doesn't make sense." (I pulled this from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/27/AR2005042702241.html but the article is a bit old). Recent Bill G article:  http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=billgates08m&date=20070308&query=bill+gates+and+visa I encourage that anyone have offer from MS or were planning on interviewing with Microsoft soon to email their recruiter. "I’m responding to everyone’s email to let them know they are all top of mind for us right now and as soon as we get information – we’ll be pushing it out to our candidates." Anne said. If there is any other question that I can help you with Carlos, please let me know... Thx.