A quick observation - having read Scoble here - http://scobleizer.com/2008/02/14/microsoft-researchers-make-me-cry/
(and techcrunch here - http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/14/microsoft-will-launch-something-that-made-scoble-cry-i-want-to-see-scoble-cry/)
and reading responses in the blogosphere:
I’ve noticed a trend at Microsoft: that the coolest stuff is done by small teams without a ton of resources. Down the hall from Wong and Fay was researcher Andy Wilson. When I walked into his lab he was working on another cool surface computing technology for Microsoft’s upcoming Tech Fest (which happens March 4). He, and another researcher, were playing with a cool round screen. You might know of Andy’s work: it was his research and demos that convinced Microsoft to build the Surface device which you touch with your hands.
Blogosphere analysis says that it has to do with Photosynth - creating 3D environments by stitching together pictures of the same object from different angles (in a nutshell and without the fancy terms)
Now I am wondering if it combines Photosynth with a surface manipulation device for navigation
(Essentially an Edusim type environment on Steroids)
Update:
http://scobleizer.com/2008/02/15/misreading-scoble-on-microsoft-cry
Well see.