Microsoft Research Blog

Human-centered computing

  1. Cloud computing changes the way we practice public speaking 

    June 16, 2016

    By Vani Mandava, Senior Program Manager, Microsoft Research People often rank public speaking as the number one fear that they face. New cloud-based technology from researchers at the University of Rochester lets speakers polish and practice at home in front of their computer camera, while the…

  2. The SwimTrain exergame makes swim workouts fun again 

    May 11, 2016

    By Miran Lee, Principal Research Program Manager, Microsoft Research To many who swim for exercise, workouts come down to the monotony of doing laps—swimming back and forth in a pool. Over and over. Unlike other exercisers, who can make their routines less of a chore…

  3. Securing safe water through Microsoft’s Intelligent Cloud 

    April 14, 2016

    By Kenji Takeda, Solution Architect and Technical Manager, Microsoft Research Jacob Katuva used to get up at dawn to cycle 12 miles from his village to collect water with his uncles and cousins when he was growing up in Kenya.  Now he is part of…

  4. Popular Microsoft Selfie app updated with social sharing 

    January 21, 2016

    By George Thomas Jr., Writer, Microsoft Released less than a month ago and among the best new apps for iOS, the popular Microsoft Selfie app is adding new features. Microsoft’s Beijing based team behind the app has been paying close attention to user feedback, and…

  5. ACM names five Microsoft researchers as Fellows, Distinguished Scientists 

    December 8, 2015

    By George Thomas Jr., Writer, Microsoft Cynthia Dwork, Mary Czerwinski and Sriram Rajamani Three Microsoft researchers have been honored as Fellows of the Association for Computing Machinery for their significant contributions to the development and application of computing across multiple disciplines. Mary Czerwinski, whose work…

  6. Ideas blossom for using Microsoft HoloLens 

    November 11, 2015

    By Dan Fay, Senior Director, Microsoft Research What would you create with a Microsoft HoloLens? Ask a group of gamers and you’ll likely get some cutting-edge suggestions for virtual reality shootouts, but beyond gaming there are many other ways to use Microsoft HoloLens to connect, create,…

  7. 2015 Faculty Summit informs and inspires 

    July 15, 2015

    The 2015 Microsoft Research Faculty Summit is over, but I am still recovering my voice from all the great hallway conversations! The summit reminded my fellow Microsoft researchers, our myriad collaborators in academia, and me of what we have already accomplished and the exciting opportunities…

  8. Exploring the frontiers of computing 

    July 9, 2015

    The sun shone brightly in Redmond yesterday, matching the intensity of 600 experts—each anticipating the sharing and acquisition of computing research knowledge—gathered in the Microsoft Conference Center for day one of the 2015 Microsoft Research Faculty Summit. These days, it is common for most audiences…

  9. Academics invited to create new Microsoft HoloLens experiences 

    July 6, 2015

    By Jeannette Wing, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Research We are pleased to announce the Microsoft HoloLens Academic Research request for proposals (RFP), which will enable the academic community to join us in advancing the creation of new holographic computing experiences. The Microsoft HoloLens Academic RFP…

  10. Microsoft issues RFP for Surface Hub 

    May 19, 2015

    This past January, Microsoft revealed to the world Microsoft Surface Hub, a state-of-the-art, large-format, pen and touch computing device—think of it as a digital whiteboard on steroids—that empowers our enterprise customers to collaborate, brainstorm, and get insight into their data. This product brings together the…

  11. A Strong Sense for Natural Interactions 

    October 5, 2014

    This week, Microsoft researcher Hrvoje Benko (@hrvojebenko) is in Hawaii, but not on one of the islands’ beautiful beaches. As conference chair for UIST 2014—the 27th Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology—Benko will be busy ensuring that the event,…

  12. Microsoft Brings World’s Fastest Texting to Windows Phone 8.1 

    April 4, 2014

    Gaurav Sharma appeared relaxed but focused in his purple hoodie on January 16, 2014. Less than 20 seconds later, Sharma, a 15-year-old from Lakeside High School in Seattle, found himself the owner of a Guinness World Record® for fastest text message using a touch-screen mobile…