While many would expect that Microsoft Research focuses solely on computer technology and software design, the research arm of Microsoft also works in other areas of technology. In this short talk from 2005's O'Reilly Emerging Technology Conference, Senior Vice President Rick Rashid discusses some of their work in other areas.

Among the topics of discussion are technologies that would allow users to capture literally everything that happens to them, not just visually, but with other associated meta-data. Another interesting area of research is technology that can make almost any physical object into a computer interface and can create digital representations of objects that users can manipulate in the digital environment.

Microsoft is also working with other organizations to apply these technologies to uses such as support for memory loss patients. In cross-disciplinary work with the biological sciences, Microsoft is using computer science technologies to work towards vaccines for HIV.

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Currently charged with oversight of Microsoft Research’s worldwide operations, Richard F. Rashid previously served as the director of Microsoft Research, focusing on operating systems, networking and multiprocessors. In that role he was responsible for managing work on key technologies leading to the development of Microsoft Corp’s interactive TV system and authored a number of patents in areas such as data compression, networking and operating systems. In addition to running Microsoft Research, Rashid also was instrumental in creating the team that eventually became Microsoft’s Digital Media Division and directing Microsoft’s first e-commerce group. Rashid was promoted to vice president of Microsoft Research in 1994, and then to senior vice president in 2000.

Before joining Microsoft in September 1991, Rashid was professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). After becoming a CMU faculty member in September 1979, he directed the design and implementation of several influential network operating systems, and published dozens of papers about computer vision, operating systems, programming languages for distributed processing, network protocols and communications security. During his tenure at CMU, Rashid developed the Mach multiprocessor operating system, which has been influential in the design of many modern operating systems and remains at the core of a number of commercial systems.

Resources:

• Microsoft Research Home
• Lyndsay Williams's Homepage
• Sensors and devices - SenseCam
• Andy Wilson's Homepage
• Rick Rashid: Senior Vice President, Research
• IT Conversations: Jamais Cascio - Participatory Panopticon

This presentation is one of a series from the O'Reilly Emerging Technology Conference held in San Diego, California, March 14-17, 2005.

For Team ITC:

• Post-production audio engineer: Scott Waters
• Series Producer: Cori Schlegel