Microsoft shows off multitouch sensor prototype

Andy Wilson, a researcher from Microsoft Research's Redmond, Wash., campus, demonstrates LaserTouch. An infrared camera tracks how he touches the screen to prompt a response from the software.

(Credit: Stefanie Olsen/CNET News.com)

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--Microsoft researchers on Thursday demonstrated a new, low-cost method for manipulating a digital desktop or wall display with two hands.

Called LaserTouch, the prototype is the latest invention of computer vision specialist Andy Wilson, a researcher from Microsoft Research's Redmond, Wash., campus. Wilson has worked on Microsoft's Surface computing, among other projects. But more recently he's developed a sensing technology system that would allow people to retrofit any display--e.g., a desktop or projector--so that they could use their hands, instead of a mouse, to interact with the computer.

The system uses a low-cost infrared camera and lasers to track how the user touches the screen in order to prompt a response from the software. The result could be a virtual chess game with a friend over a networked computer, or a better way to show off a PowerPoint presentation, Wilson said.

"It's a simple technique," Wilson said Thursday during a presentation of the prototype. Wilson was referring to the low-cost camera and laser setup, but he said the magic is really in the software he's developed.

On Thursday, Microsoft hosted its fourth research road show here at its Silicon Valley campus since the local arm opened in 2001. The event, which was open to press, academia, high-school students, and industry, was designed to demonstrate the company's research efforts and new technologies emerging from the labs. (The company has labs in Redmond, Mountain View, and, this summer, in Cambridge, Mass.)

LaserTouch is the newest prototype from Microsoft Research, but researchers also presented other previously unveiled projects from the labs. Those included Microsoft WorldWide Telescope, a virtual telescope for scientists and the public to peer into the heavens.

Researchers also previewed Boku, a programming language for kids on the Xbox 360 game controller. The technology lets kids guide, or "program," the behavior of a virtual robot through the use of visual cue cards in the game, rather than HTML (Hypertext Markup Language).

Even though LaserTouch was billed as an "inexpensive" multi-touch sensor technology, Wilson didn't say how much such a system would cost. He said that there aren't any plans to turn LaserTouch into a product as of now, partly because there are still problems with the technology. For example, it doesn't support multiple users that well. If two people were attempting to manipulate the display, for example, one person's hands might block the laser from "seeing" the other person's hands.

If turned into a product, however, it might save someone as much as $10,000 if they were in the market for a Microsoft Surface computer.

Still, the company is working on bringing down the cost of computer vision-sensing technologies to improve products like games, according to Wilson.

[whizkid454]

Microsoft is finally coming out of its shell for the next decade. Besides Windows XP, this decade wasn't too Microsoft-friendly. I hope to see better things like this from Microsoft in the future. With the right people in the right places at the right time, much better things can be accomplished.

[MaLvaDo39]

You want actual touch? Get an iPhone... not Microsoft's vaporware.
Apple is the only one who has proven the technology in your pocket and will easily move that to home walls, desks, etc.

[aka_tripleB]

It's not vaporware. In fact, several places that are selling iPhones. Not to mention Microsoft shown its hardware off long before Apple ever shown the iPhone. The main reason for the vast difference in the time the two devices made it to market is the type of devices they are. It's much easier to sell devices to consumers than businesses.

[DrtyDogg]

Wow, lay off the koolaid. Apple has a good product featuring touch. That doesn't stop other companies from innovating new ways of doing touch. And BTW Microsoft software has been running on touch screen devices, pocket sized and computer sized for 8 years now.

[McPlot]

Get a life you Apple Zealot. Apple did not create the world. There has been touch interfaces on moble devices for YEARS before the iPhone. The only thing Apple did was show that the average user would like the interface. Past touch interfaces (such a Palm and Windows Moble) were created for business users. Which meant a straight to the point interface. Not all the facey effects the iPhone gives you.

[Melekai]

manipulating a digital desktop or wall display with two hands? Microsoft can't find it's butt with two hands!

[koralexx]

Microsoft didn't come up with this idea. It has been researched by a guy Johnny Lee of the Carnegie Mellon University. Be sure to check out his three videos of using a Wii Remote with a PC.
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/projects/wii/

[DrtyDogg]

That is totaly different technology.

[mattledding]

Uhhh.. Johnny Lee WORKS for Microsoft now. And the Surface computer idea was around a bit before the wii, I believe. The Wiimote whiteboard idea take to its conclusion via Boon Jins smoothboard, combined with tablet pc stuff in Vista Premium makes me actually like Microsoft a lot more than I did...

[James7777777]

You microsoft haters are ridiculous.

This is not the same technology as the iPhone. The iPhone is not the end all and be all of devices. This technology doesn't require a ridiculously expensive screen.

This is not the same idea as the wii example. Microsoft did not get it from Johnny Lee(though I admit his implementation is cool)

[mwags_69]

I may hate microshit but even if the touch technology is not the same as iphone, it still appears that microsoft is playing catchup.

[James7777777]

Playing catchup to what? If microsoft releases a phone with a dual touch display, where they write the software and hardware, then you can say they are playing catch up, until then shut up. Microsoft has had their operating systems on tablet computers for years, where is APPLE'S tablet? This article is about a new type of touch screen with a reduced cost and potential to have a large surface area, When was the last time Apple invented a touch screen technology? Oh right, never.

Why is it that Apple can do no wrong, but Microsoft is the devil? They are both corporations just looking for a profit.

[Yhildreth]

Retrofits for touchscreens are at least 20 years old at this point and had gained popularity with dumb terminals and early pcs. This included light interruption types, capacitive as well as SAW tech, Not real impressed that MS has woken up to this today. As far a 3-D air controls go:can you say Therimin?

[dargon19888]

Seems that James is a Microsoft shill. :-P

Unfortunately the other poster is correct. The concept isn't anything new.

However, having said that... what is new is getting the OS to correctly recognize what the hand gestures mean. (That is retrofitting the OS to grok the hand motions.)

If you want to see cool technology, look at the company that created a virtual keyboard....

[xtracooltech]

When you are talking multi-touch, the innovators are Jeff Han H/W and Phil Davidson S/W. They were from NYU and followed a beautiful non-exclusive license play. Johnny Chung Lee from Carnegie Mellon does the cool Wii remote MacGyver videos. Another cool technology won at CES called Lightglove. Small wrist device creates a light matrix that reads your hand gestures.

[flemingho]

It doesn't matter who had what idea and who invented what. What matters is who has the means to take a good idea, and make it a reality, practical and affordable to the masses.

The Wii is fantastic. I'm looking forward to it's evolution.

Tablets are a great concept, but notebooks of today seem more practical, but nothing is as portable/reliable as a pen and paper-pads (as they come in all kinds of sizes that can also fit in your pocket)

The iPhone is great. But what makes it greater is the SDK. MS has been all about SDK's - they created a lot of jobs with its affordable OS and its SDK. Apple has great products but its price point is still high, and it's SDK's is slowly catching on & its OS is stabilizing on compatibility.

I'm looking forward to affordable wall mounted touch devices - I don't care about the actual implementation - with avialable SDK's. Who ever gets there - and the market - first will have the advantage.

[xtracooltech]

According to your statements, we will end up with the well funded innovation by committee product. Whooppeeeeee.....

[flemingho]

It doesn't matter who had what idea and who invented what. What matters is who has the means to take a good idea, and make it a reality, practical and affordable to the masses.

The Wii is fantastic. I'm looking forward to it's evolution.

Tablets are a great concept, but notebooks of today seem more practical, but nothing is as portable/reliable as a pen and paper-pads (as they come in all kinds of sizes that can also fit in your pocket)

The iPhone is great. But what makes it greater is the SDK. MS has been all about SDK's - they created a lot of jobs with its affordable OS and its SDK. Apple has great products but its price point is still high, and it's SDK's is slowly catching on & its OS is stabilizing on compatibility.

I'm looking forward to affordable wall mounted touch devices - I don't care about the actual implementation - with avialable SDK's. Who ever gets there - and the market - first will have the advantage.

[jiveturkey12]

This is a rip off from a CMU student's work
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s5EvhHy7eQ

[benjaminstraight]

wow. way to catapulte into the future!