Microsoft makes Surface look dated with SecondLight

Microsoft's Surface may be hard at work helping the liberal media steal the election (we kid, we kid), but other than acting as props in stores or random promotional videos, the device hasn't exactly created a market for itself. But that's not stopping MS from introducing the next generation: SecondLight. It takes the tabletop, multi-touch display concept and adds the ability to project images into the air thanks to a liquid crystal screen timed to be transparent on alternate frames, enabling a projector below to beam an image right through it. Your eye doesn't notice unless you hold something opaque up to scatter the light (like tracing paper, for instance), meaning the device can show a picture of the night sky on the surface while highlighting the constellations on paper. The must-see video below shows how the thing can also track objects above the glass, turning a sheet held aloft into a second multi-touch display. Like the Surface, practical applications for this seem somewhat limited -- but since when have you cared about practicality?

[Via Slashdot]

[waiownsyou @ Oct 30th 2008 9:52AM]

Now that's just legit

[ND @ Oct 30th 2008 10:21AM]

But is it *too* legit?

......to quit

[a ham sandwich @ Oct 30th 2008 11:49AM]

i dunno. i am in complete shock. that is absolutely amazing.

[happy_penguin @ Oct 30th 2008 3:10PM]

Enough with the articles and posts about it. Release the damn thing already. I want to see it!

[Atropos @ Oct 30th 2008 9:54AM]

"...but since when have you cared about practicality?"

Frequently?

[Reece @ Oct 30th 2008 11:45AM]

I think it was a joke.

[Saad Rabia @ Oct 30th 2008 9:54AM]

Stuff like this makes want to forgive Microsoft for any mistake they've did in the past couple of years!

They make me proud of the geek I am.

[dark star @ Oct 30th 2008 10:16AM]

im a PC!!!!

[palehorse @ Oct 30th 2008 10:00AM]

palehorse want...

[Mark @ Oct 30th 2008 10:03AM]

Damn microsoft and their actual innovation. Makes the apple fanboy job that much harder.

[thomas @ Oct 30th 2008 11:09AM]

you wait for a couple of hours and i'll bet there will be some fanboi claiming that microsoft has stolen this contraption from el jobso's secure underground nuclear radiation proof bunker.

[Lowest Ranked @ Oct 30th 2008 12:07PM]

Hours?! You, sir, have severely underestimated the Apple fanboys here at Engadget.

[happy_penguin @ Oct 30th 2008 3:04PM]

Is it really necessary to make this about Apple? :rolleyes:

[absurdio @ Oct 31st 2008 6:18AM]

Man. You guys would be so unhappy if you didn't have straw men to hate on.

The BigAssTable 2.0 is effing sweet.

[Steven M @ Oct 30th 2008 10:05AM]

damn.....

[Holger @ Oct 30th 2008 10:06AM]

ok that is very very nifty!

now for aldults they just need to make a program called "x-ray glasses" which shows pictures of women in clothes and then with a piece of paper you can see through! :P

[José P. @ Oct 30th 2008 10:07AM]

I don't know. That area next to his finger looks somehow indecent to me...

[Forrest @ Oct 30th 2008 10:09AM]

The wheel didn't seem to have many practical applications in early South American cultures either...due in large part to a lack of indigenous large beasts of burden to pull wheeled carts.


I'm not saying something like this is as revolutionary as the wheel, but open your minds a bit :P It's useful enough all on its own, if nothing else for educational purposes. The killer combo for something like this, or any device that seems pointless today may be just beyond the horizon.

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Oct 30th 2008 10:11AM]

I like your ying yang avatar.

[Forrest @ Oct 30th 2008 10:14AM]

Thanks :) I wish I could remember from where I stole it so I could give proper credit. It was originally an animated gif. To whomever made that image...thank you! :D

[Mr. Ford @ Oct 30th 2008 10:23AM]

I want to apologize in advance.
That's what she said.

[Dylan @ Oct 30th 2008 2:59PM]

WHAT did "she" say? I'm not connecting the dots here. -_-

[Mr. Ford @ Oct 30th 2008 4:56PM]

sorry, I meant to put @SOOPERGOOMAN

the comment about liking the ying yang avitar.

[Twitchy @ Oct 31st 2008 7:22AM]

Just wait until they roll out 'Enterprise' v1.0. This will be right at home.

[Jake Tobak @ Oct 30th 2008 10:09AM]

Microsoft is obviously a practicer of the dark arts.
This is 100% without a doubt WITCHCRAFT!

[Adam @ Oct 30th 2008 4:18PM]

Happy Halloween?

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Oct 30th 2008 10:10AM]

Microsoft are a world leader in innovation. That's the truth. Apple however wants you to strictly adhere to their ways and not really innovate too much. Sorry but that's just how I see it. SJ based the old mac on a closed pc design.

I'm Apple Free!

[AnyKey @ Oct 30th 2008 10:24AM]

This is a news item about an awesome device that microsoft created...why must you people take every opportunity you get to turn this into some kind of apple-based flame war?
How about we all shut the fuck up about stuff like that so we can sit back and enjoy this shiny new technology?
I mean, look at that! It's hard *not* to think of something that this technology couldn't be applied to!

[sean @ Oct 30th 2008 1:41PM]

Congrats, AnyKey, you took part in the very flame war you're railing against.

[cstarbird @ Oct 30th 2008 6:10PM]

Yes yes, Microsoft is very smart. But why have they had so much trouble bringing their amazing innovations to market? So far the Surface has done what... impressed a few people shopping for cellphones? Come on MS, I want this technology in my everyday life. Kinda like what Apple did with multi-touch.

[Silas Miller @ Oct 30th 2008 10:12AM]

Now that is damn cool. Impressive even in its early stages.. Go Team!

[silver @ Oct 30th 2008 10:12AM]

This looks like something that needs a huge ecosystem around it... the actual table with stuff to put on the table, and some special software. But I think this is not bad. Inventions do not have to be marketable tomorrow. I could see this tech actually flying off in some 5 years time. I can already see Logitech producing surface-proof paper or gadgets.

[xarento @ Oct 30th 2008 11:02AM]

or perhaps getting those little bits of paper to be able to carry pictures between surfaces...

minority report anyone?

[Cybergypsy @ Oct 30th 2008 10:15AM]

MeH...

[DonPerrioni @ Oct 30th 2008 10:16AM]

WHAT A BEAUTY !!! now thats what I call amazing . imagine that , but on a touchscreen phone !!!

[Scotty Doo @ Oct 30th 2008 10:19AM]

Looks fun to play with.

[Rynth @ Oct 30th 2008 11:24AM]

Thats what she said!

/overused

[gareki @ Oct 31st 2008 1:30AM]

Rynth-

Ok, try this then: "That's what she didn't say!"

It's more original AND it's offensive, which is good.

[mindblowing @ Oct 30th 2008 10:19AM]

Dear Microsoft:
Have I told you lately that I love you? :)

[Anghell @ Oct 30th 2008 10:20AM]

That's just simply incredible

[Ian @ Oct 30th 2008 10:37AM]

Yep, it's absolutely incredible. I didn't understand the Engadget description of how it works, but I'd like to get a more detailed explanation, which would probably simplify things for me (more diagrams, please?).

However, I must say that this thing looks absolutely useless. Sure, they could describe some scenario where it would be cool to have such a table, but the real-life practicality of such a device is......"bleh". Totally effing useless. Where would you apply it? Will this just be like Surface, destined to be used as a fancy way to choose meals in expensive restaurants?

[GON @ Oct 30th 2008 3:36PM]

You can always watch the video Ian.

[Bryan @ Oct 30th 2008 10:30AM]

wow

[TheCow5 @ Oct 30th 2008 10:38AM]

Sweet As! now thats simply sweet.

who will be the first fool to say they stole this form that rotten apple.

[Ian @ Oct 30th 2008 10:46AM]

You're right. There's no way Apple could have produced this first. Well, Surface wasn't even the first to create a Surface-like device, but then again, why do people think you need to have been the very first to do something in order to have innovated? Sometimes, making it work in a way that's significant is what counts, and Microsoft did that.

On the other hand, when Apple makes something, it's usually practical, even if it's not initially well executed (eg: AppleTV, MobileMe). However, they eventually work it out and provide an awesome service, and everyone else tries to catch up by making both a product, and an ecosystem of services around it to actually make the product useful. Products without the proper service usually prove to be less practical than something with a great ecosystem, just like how the iPod doesn't have every feature, but has the best digital music, movie, and TV show shop on the net.

Both Surface and this SecondLight thing look really great, but unless they show me how it's practical in a real world sense, it'll fail.

Just saying.

[Ian @ Oct 30th 2008 2:59PM]

stop making me look bad Ian

[happy_penguin @ Oct 30th 2008 3:08PM]

Well, you're the third fool to bring up the fruity company...

[Mr. Ford @ Oct 30th 2008 10:41AM]

I can see some practical apps. 3-D gadgets/widgets hovering above the desktop on movable arms (kinda like an adjustable lamp). When you need something that you have docked (moved out of the way), you just pull that small display back over the desktop.

In games, you could have function selections and maps on smaller displays hovering above actual game play.

With photoshop or gimp, you can have different pallets on these smaller displays.

There seems to be unlimited practical applications.

[fastolfe @ Oct 30th 2008 12:23PM]

also diagramming your new armor and repulsor ray

[John P @ Oct 30th 2008 12:38PM]

And educational uses will be uncountable. We saw what it can do when it showed the picture of the Audi on the screen. Put the lens over it, we can see the engine. This could be used in university biology classes very well, among many other classes. All image processors could benefit from this (I like your idea of different palettes. Also, layers in Photoshop could use this exceedingly well)

In all honesty I just responded to your comment because you're Mr. Ford. And you stole my presidency.