- Rick Rashid, Microsoft Research:
Microsoft Research is generally focused on software and Internet research, but is also looking at a number of other aspects of technology.
Shows the SenseCam, a Black Box data and image recorder for the human body: motion detection, thermometer, GPS,... to capture all possible data related to a person (view, hear, move,...). Required new hacks like image stabilization based on motion sensors capturing speed to avoid blurry images. An application is Fridgecam: taking shots of who picks up what in the fridge. Twelve V1 devices are in trial in Cambridge, allowing memory-loss patients to consolidate what they have done during their day, and possibly help improve memory function in formal tests. V2 device being built, with a lot of interest from universities.
Moves into "Unconventional devices: surface computing". Projects an image on a table, and captures the interaction of a human with objects on that table. Builds on computer vision.
Also shows TouchLight, a 3-D rendition of objects on a surface, allowing capture and manipulation through light reflection. If you recall it, the movie Minority Report has UI similar UI effects. The manipulation of a newspaper through TouchLight led to the same effects. Very cool.
- Gary Flake, Yahoo Research Labs:
Like Google, Yahoo makes their next gen features on http://next.yahoo.com. Shows Y!, a contextual search capability available alongside My Yahoo Firefox, FareChase,...
YRL have 30+ scientists and engineers, focusing on machine learning, text mining, collective intelligence and scientific computing. Research close to business interests and issues.
Announces the Tech Buzz Game: tapping the collective wisdom of the web -> aggregating opinions across different populations of different characteristics. TBG is built on NewsFutures' platform, as a joint R&D project before Yahoo Research and O'Reilly. Targeted at Alpha Geeks, artificial market related to technology issues and questions. Will be driven by search volume trends, and winners will make "fame" money on the accuracy of their prediction. YRL is introducing at the same time a new type of auction: Pari-mutuel, which is underlying TBG.
- Peter Norvig, Director of Research Quality, Google
Demo features available on labs.google.com: Suggest in Japanese, Maps, Video,... Google Suggest uses Ajax to offer a rich interaction. Also shows Google Sets.
Yahoo wins the "just launched" prize, Microsoft wins the "Waow" factor, even though I am told that this is not first time this video shows up in tech conferences.
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