Microsoft Research Projects Showcased

prostoalex writes "Seattle Times reporter visited the Microsoft Research expo hosted by the company. The inventions of the future include a robot that could attend conferences in your behalf and allow you to communicate via video and audio applications, a software package that translates the sign language into readable English, e-mailable identification documents and some enhancements to Microsoft's operating systems."

Comments

Re:Don't read the article!!! [don't worry]

[sould]

Hey relaaaaaaaaaaax...

Its only Microsoft style innovation we're talking here (in future referred to as Microvation).

The way you do things is take an existing product or range of products, copy 'em, brand 'em and market 'em to hell.

e.g.

Take NEC's personal robot and call it a Robie.

Take the common idea of controlling another device with a PDA and make it sound like a pocket PC microvation

And of course, you really need an advanced research division to come up with a "a program that acted like a magnifying glass for Web sites"

I was going to have a dig at the "The system uses compression technology to turn photos into data and encryption techniques to make forgery nearly impossible"...but hey - its just waaaaaaaay to easy.

Bottom line. Nothing new to see here.

-Sould

Worst corporate research lab?

[Ars-Fartsica]

Not just piling on the MSFT bash fest, but Microsoft's research labs have failed to deliver what I see as even one interesting, unique academic, technical, cultural or product innovation. Compare this to Bell Labs, IBM, etc who have truly revolutionized their markets through bona fide research.

I'm not sure why Microsoft Research can't produce anything meaningful. Its clearly not starved for funding.

Microsoft Research *is* a black hole

[0x0d0a]

Up here at CMU, it's just where you go when you're tired of producing serious work and want to lie back with an easy salary.