TouchWall

1. What is TouchWall?
2. How does it work?
3. How is this different than Microsoft Surface?
4. When will TouchWall be a product?

1. What is TouchWall?
A: TouchWall is a large format display prototype, developed as a way to explore multi-touch interaction models in presentation and collaboration scenarios. It is an example of the ongoing collaborative work between Microsoft Research and Office Labs.

2. How does it work?
A: TouchWall uses a Laser Touch technique which detects infrared laser light reflecting off the user’s fingers to provide virtually any projection surface (wall, table or whiteboard) with multi-touch capabilities. TouchWall is also built on Plex, an Office Labs prototype interaction model that provides TouchWall with new and expanded ways to organize and present content through a more dynamic, natural interface.

3. How is this different than Microsoft Surface?
A: Microsoft Surface is a complete multi-touch hardware and software platform being developed at Microsoft and has fully realized product plans. While Microsoft Surface uses multi-touch tracking technology that is also based on technology developed at Microsoft Research, it is not related to the TouchWall prototype. TouchWall explores a different hardware configuration and multi-touch interaction models.

4. When will TouchWall be a product?
A: TouchWall is a research prototype that examines a particular set of concepts. Currently there are no product plans for TouchWall.

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