TechFest Explores Future Technologies

From CNN.com - Technology:

Redmond, Washington (Reuters) -- Lost in Seattle with nothing but a camera phone? Just snap a picture of a nearby building, send off the photo to a database and soon you'll get back a map and information about where you are. The new Web service is one of over 40 new technologies and ideas displayed by Microsoft Corp. at its research department's annual TechFest fair on Tuesday. Microsoft Research TechFest is the world's largest software maker's chance to show off the talent of its 750 global researchers, who are working on problems ranging from how to use sensors in medical science to how to view high-definition pictures through a Web browser. The technologies and products on display are at various stages of development. Some are ready to be incorporated into existing products, while others are years away from finding the right application to utilize the technology. The map-search technology required Microsoft to get millions of street-level pictures of Seattle's buildings and landmarks. Those pictures were added to a database and indexed by distinguishing features that can be cross referenced to pictures sent in by users.

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