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Microsoft's Mundie Sees a Future In Spatial Computing

Posted by Soulskill on from the i-can-only-see-the-future-with-my-magic-8-ball dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Speaking at the MIT Emerging Technology Conference, Microsoft Chief Research and Strategy Officer Craig Mundie explained that he sees the industry evolving into 'spatial computing,' and he envisions a 3-D virtual world populated by virtual presences, using a combination of client and cloud services. 'In a few months, the compay plans to test a new virtual reception assistant in some of its campus buildings. The assistant, which takes the form of an avatar, helps schedule shuttle reservations to get people to various locations across the 10-million-square-foot Redmond, Wash., campus. The system includes array microphones and natural language processing by which the avatar listens to the subjects and then interacts with them in real time. The system has been programmed to differentiate people by their clothing. Someone in a suit, for instance, would more likely be a visitor and not a potential shuttle rider.'"

10 of 89 comments (clear)

  1. "I see you're trying to locate Bill Gates...." by Dutch+Gun · · Score: 4, Funny

    I wondered when Clippy would resurface... Looks like he'll have a new job soon.

    --
    Irony: Agile development has too much intertia to be abandoned now.
    1. Re:"I see you're trying to locate Bill Gates...." by Mad+Merlin · · Score: 3, Funny

      It's Microsoft, surely you knew you wouldn't be able to escape Clippy's wrath for long.

      --
      Game! - Where the stick is mightier than the sword!
  2. My dick is turning into spatial computing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    but you don't see it on the front page of slashdot.

  3. Really... by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well. Isn't that spatial.

  4. Welcome to the Egress by SEWilco · · Score: 4, Funny

    So would one enter this virtual 3-D world through the previously mentioned Internet Filtering Lobby?

  5. Re:Voice Interaction is Overrated. by CODiNE · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think this is mostly flash.

    No I'm pretty sure it will be Silverlight.

    --
    Cwm, fjord-bank glyphs vext quiz
  6. Profiling is ok if it's automated? by Orne · · Score: 4, Funny

    The system has been programmed to differentiate people by their clothing. Someone in a suit, for instance, would more likely be a visitor and not a potential shuttle rider.

    Because nothing says "Good Idea" like differentiating between people based on their appearance.

  7. Re:Mundie? by ozbird · · Score: 3, Funny

    I don't like Mundies.

  8. Clothing & people recognition criteria by Snart+Barfunz · · Score: 4, Funny

    Pants up butt-crack - Bill Gates
    Carrying stack of chairs - Ballmer's PA
    Bristling with fragmented chair splinters - Ballmer's PA
    Sporting a wedgie - has worn a Zune in public
    Shoes on wrong feet - Windows Vista Guru
    Wearing a food-stained straight-jacket - Mojave experiment subject
    Wearing a suit - Prey. Launch the sales droids!

    --
    --- Yx3 = Delilah ---
  9. Re:Mundie? by Hognoxious · · Score: 3, Funny

    He wishes it was Sundie.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."