Surface computing is a multi-touch technology that allows users to interact with digital content using natural hand gestures on a flat surface, replacing traditional mouse and keyboard interfaces. It uses near-infrared light and cameras to detect touch inputs and physical objects placed on the screen. Microsoft PixelSense is an example of this technology, developed over 12 years of research. It consists of infrared light sources, cameras, and a projector that work together to detect touch inputs. Surface computing enables direct interaction, multi-touch recognition, multi-user collaboration, and physical object detection. While providing a more natural user experience, surface computers are currently very expensive and best suited for enterprise rather than household use.

1. Surface Computing
&
Devices
By : Sheeyam Shellvacumar

2. What is Surface Computing?
 Surface computing is a multi-touch technology that allows users
to handle digital contents using natural motions using hands and
physical things on a flat surface
 Surface computing is a new approach of working with computer
that replaces the traditional mouse & keyboard experience.
 NUI (Natural User Interface) used in surface computing help
interaction with digital contents in the way how they interact with
physical objects with hand gestures

3. Features of Surface Computing
 Direct Interaction
- Hands interacting with touch/Physical gestures
 Multi-Touch
- Recognize multiple points of contact at the same time
 Multi-User
- Allowing a collaborative computing experience
 Physical Object Recognition
- Retrieve digital content from physical objects

4. Microsoft PixelSense
 Long time research of Microsoft for more than 12 years which
started on 2001
 An NUI with a combination of hardware and software
 Hardware support given by Samsung

5. The Design
 1-Screen
 2-Near IR light source
 3-Near IR camera
 4-Projector
 5-CPU

6. How does this work?
 A contact is placed on the display
 IR back light unit provides light that hits the contact.
 Light reflected back from the contact is seen by the integrated sensors
 Sensors convert the light signal into an electrical signal/value
 Values reported from all of the sensors are used to create a picture of what is on
the display
 The picture is analyzed using image processing techniques
 The output is sent to the PC. It includes the corrected sensor image and various
contact types.

7. Surface Computing Applications

8. Surface Computing Applications
AFTER-MOUSE
Paint-Touch
AFTER-MOUSE
Presentation-Touch
AFTER-MOUSE
Map-Touch

9. Application Development
Applications for the Microsoft PixelSense are built using the
Microsoft Surface 2.0 SDK
The Microsoft Surface 2.0 SDK builds upon:
 Embedded Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
 .NET Framework 4.0
 Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) 4.0
 Microsoft XNA® Framework 4.0
 Windows PowerShell and DMTF DASH support, and enhanced
administrator tools

10. Second Light Technology
 Microsoft's Second-Light is a new technology in the works
from Microsoft Research.
 Second Light technology allows users to slide "magic lenses"
over the display to provide a second surface that can be
linked to the first

11. Advantages
 Works as an interface between human natural gestures and
high tech hardware components
 Detect physical objects using its cameras
 No need wires or USB Ports to connect devices
 Processes are done in a natural way using an NUI so that
the time is saved

12. Disadvantages
 Surface computers are very expensive and doesn’t fit with
household usage.
 For now it only fits to enterprise context.
 Microsoft’s pixel-sense based surface computer cost around
12,500 USD
 Surface application cost around 2000-3000 USD.
 Privacy of data of users is lost.

13. Future of Surface Computing
 Brand new experience for the PC , laptop & tablet users
 Surface Computing become more mingled with people’s
lifestyle and variety of environments
 It will be used in schools, businesses, homes as a part of the
countertop.
 Educational environment, where university students could
assemble and disassemble quickly and easily.

14. Thank you