The evolution to Windows 8 will undoubtedly be synonymous with advances in terms of Natural User Interfaces (NUI) for the platform. And the fact of the matter is that there already is more to Windows NUI than users can “touch” although, in all fairness, Microsoft’s focus has been placed with predilection on a single aspect of natural user interaction models, as far as Windows 7 is concerned. But make no mistake about it, multi-touch is just one detail of Windows NUI, with the operating system already offering support for speech recognition.

“2010 is the year speech hits the mainstream. Speech is changing the way we interact with technology in our homes, in our cars, on our mobile devices and on our PCs,” said Zig Serafin, general manager of Microsoft Tellme during the SpeechTEK 2010 industry conference in New York City. “We are honored to be recognized as leaders in speech technology and will continue our efforts to make speech a natural part of everyday interaction with technology.”

It is important to underline that Serafin was in no way talking about Windows 8, or the Windows client for that matter. At SpeechTEK 2010, Microsoft announced new partnerships built on the acquisition of speech-recognition vendor TellMe in 2007 for $1 billion, and demonstrated upcoming speech innovations. The software giant brought connected devices to center-stage, from mobile phones to automobiles, and to gaming offerings, all benefiting from NUI via speech, touch and gestures.

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Windows 8 NUI Beyond Multi-Touch - There are certainly areas worth exploring for Microsoft - Softpedia

Posted By: JMH
06 Aug 2010