Microsoft has consistently been one of the top innovators in technology in the past years. To be an innovator, it requires or involves a lot of ideas, concepts and visions and Microsoft Office Labs is where their ideas and visions of the future are created.
Recently at the Wharton Business Technology Conference, Stephen Elop, Microsoft’s Business Division President unveiled the latest production from the Microsoft Office Labs called “Vision 2019“, which stars stock photos of men, women and children playing with the next-generation technology.
Here’s a short intro from the Microsoft Office Labs:
How will emerging technology improve our productivity in the years ahead? What opportunities will arise from evolving trends and global change? Microsoft has collaborated with customers, partners, and thought leaders across multiple disciplines to develop scenarios that explore how long-term trends, customer challenges, and emerging technologies might converge to improve our lives, both at work and home.
Future Vision Montage
My inner geek was just “drooling” watching these videos. I know some of the technologies featured in it are already available like the touch and multi-touch surface which we’ve seen used by CNN. But I can’t wait for the day when all of these technology would be commonly available to the public. I like the first part where the students were interacting with each other via multi-touch screen featuring real-time language translation, I wish we had that back in the days. I also like the cellphone/mobile device that the Japanese guy used to locate something and talk to the person while their conversation was automatically translated into their native language then later on used it to guide him to the location. Awesome!
How about you guys? What do you think of Microsoft’s vision of the future? Which part of the video or technology did you like the most?
[via Microsoft Office Labs and iStartedSomething]
obviously, im quite sentimental when it comes to education. hahha. but i am optimistic though that we will have those technology to offer to the students, esp. for nation building.
@Gem – Awesome much? Hehe I can’t stop drooling every time I watch those videos. I wish I could work as a tester for Microsoft and test these technologies. :D
Those innovations are awesome, and like you, I am really drooling (to the max, LOL). I like all of them, but the one that's very meaningful to me is the one that is used to educate children in schools (the barking dog).
I think that, the public would be able to get access to these when I get to the age where I could not keep up and learn technology fast. And for Philippines to have these? Possible, but it will even take a longer time before the country would enjoy these in public schools (I'd be one dead person then).
@jan – Wouldn’t it have been cool if we had that back in the days? I’m sure they’re also working on the privacy aspects of these technologies coz as you said, it is an important issue.
That language translation occurring in real time is indeed cool among other things. I just hope that they get to address important issues and strike the right balance like worries of increased encroachment into an individual’s privacy while they get into hyper drive in their quest for more innovations. But for most parts, I cannot discount the value of their vision in science and medicine and other important fields.
@elmot – Haha..its like they’re predicting the future but they’re trying to show us what the future could be with the current technologies they have and are planning to come up with. Its like they’re thinking out loud or daydreaming out loud. :D
I’m not surprised since you are also in the field of education. Yes, it would be nice if the Philippines and other third world countries educational systems would be able to have access to these type of technologies.
whooosh! is microsoft under the tutelage of madam auring, seeing the future? but what excites me is that as you said, when this one will become available to the public. i like the part when it is very much involve in the field of education. but of course, the first people and nations to used such technology are on the top lists. i just hope that the phil will esp the youth will see the day that they could use such tools for the strenghtening of their educational foundation… sorry for being quite dramatic, harharhar!