Windows 7: Microsoft Research TechFest 2010: NUI and the cloud....

Microsoft Research TechFest 2010: NUI and the cloud dominate.

Microsoft Research's TechFest is essentially a glimpse into a Microsoft future. It's an annual showcase of the various technologies that the company's researchers have been working on. The 2010 event that took place earlier this month featured a few prototypes that we've already seen before, but there were also many that have only just started to emerge out of Microsoft's research labs around the world, including labs in China, India, the UK, and the US.

The gathering of hundreds of researchers, as well as the broader group of Microsoft employees and product managers, happens at the company's headquarters in Redmond and creates a sort of forum for these colleagues to exchange ideas, show off their latest innovations, and form partnerships that lead to the creation of shipping products (even though most don't make the cut). Here's this year's keynote: