Last week I spent a couple of hours at Microsoft’s European Innovation Day. Apart from the presentations, there was a whole ‘trade show’ of companies from all over Europe showing innovative technology, all somehow based on Microsoft technology. Some if we already knew like Microsoft HD view with their ‘gigapixel panoramas’, Skinkers with LiveStation (new version coming soon), etc.
There were also some cool things that I had never seen before like the 3D flatscreen for instance. I have no imagery here unfortunately, but I just kept staring. Another very cool thing, distributed by the same company was this ‘virtual lego’ thingy. It had nothing to do with Lego, they just used it to show the capability of their software.
It’s quite tough to explain, maybe Luc who I joined at the event can do better then me, or Miel who filmed this. Look at the empty Lego box and how they add a 3D object to this on screen. Cooler even is it detects which Lego object is on the box which defines the 3D object they show (note: the 3D objects where created in advance). Anyway, too hard to explain, just give it this a look and let me know what you think.
Think about what this technology can do for the traditional ‘shop window’ ;)
'Cross The Breeze 
Wow, I am impressed by the MS HD View application. Working in the CCTV industry, this is the future of CCTV!
Storing huge amounts of data locally (Gpix) and afterwards selecting and downloading (over broadband, 3G mobile phone technology, etc.) the specific information you need from the available HD Picture.
E.g. you have a Dome CCTV Camera “watching” a street and storing huge amounts of hi-res data locally. After an incident occured an operator could remotely, even wirelessly, stream low-res video and retrieve a specific segment of the visuals in hi-res (a number plate for example).
An operator would have low-res remote live monitoring at all times with the extra ability of retrieving hi-res video when necessary.
Sounds cool, but also scary depending on whom is watching.
Thanks Kris for this post …