Microsoft Build 2018 — a summary for what’s coming next
Matt Payne from Tribal Worldwide’s Tech Engineering Practice summarises the key highlights of the Microsoft Build conference.
You may not have heard much from this year’s Microsoft Build Developer Conference, as it’s second day keynote ran simultaneous with Google’s I/O event — which itself demonstrated some viral examples of their own AI.
Whilst covering multiple conferences, I must admit to being way less concerned by Microsoft Build, as there was way less excitement and buzz surrounding their announcements when compared to Facebook’s F8 or Google I/O. However, after watching the Microsoft Build keynotes, I will openly admit that I was wrong.
Whilst having a great focus on Windows for Business and showing some great examples of how they are seamlessly integrating with and stitching together the Windows experience across users’ multiple devices, there were also some great examples of Microsoft’s future plans, which proves they are still very much in the game.
“Computing is no longer just an interface that you go to, but it’s instead embedded everywhere — in places, things, our homes and cities. The world is a computer.”
CEO Satya Nadella shares Microsoft’s vision and roadmap for how developers can lead in this new era.
Spread over two days, Microsoft shared their vision of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the future of the Windows platform. Below are my four highlights from the Microsoft Build 2018 conference.
Amazon Alexa meet Microsoft Cortana
Some of the biggest news that we already knew was coming was the pairing of Amazon’s Alexa and Microsoft’s Cortana. With Microsoft’s slow and steady increase of Windows 10 installs, we received demonstrations of how the two AI’s can work together. This is a smart move, as they know that they need help to stay in this field as many users may have a PC but use an Amazon Echo at home.
Very soon now, you will be able to reach not just Cortana on a PC, but also Amazon’s Alexa. What is especially a win for Microsoft, is that through this partnership, you will also be able to access Cortana via an Amazon Echo as well.
Partnering with Amazon was an understandable step for Microsoft. As we’ve seen great uptake from both developers and brands in building Alexa and Google Assistant skills. One which will greatly benefit Win10 and beyond.
Meeting rooms — Live transcript, translation and identification.
Without trialling it with my team first, true judgement will be withheld. But from what I saw in the keynote, Microsoft’s meeting room of the future looks great. Currently a prototype, the aim is to make meetings a lot easier and is a great show piece for what the future can hold.
It also shows off the power of different forms of computer vision using Machine Learning (ML) and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). In the demo, they talk about how a 360 degree camera and microphone array can detect anyone in the meeting room, and even going so far as greeting them.
As discussions get under way, the technology can transcribe everything being said. Even knowing who is saying what and understanding multiple languages.
The best feature, which currently exists within Cortana, is whilst transcribing what is said, she can also pull out any actions for individuals and assign those actions as a notification on Microsoft teams (a Slack competitor). Now if they could also work on taking down those actions and raise them as JIRA tickets, that would be heaven.
There was no clear release date, however knowing this sort of technology is coming is great and will hopefully remove the headaches of meetings in the future.
Hololens for business
Whilst other technology and/or social platforms are pushing quirky Augmented Reality (AR) experiences, Microsoft continue to push AR for businesses. For developers they have announced an expanded list of mixed reality tools with a program named Microsoft Layout. Layout let’s designers and engineers visualise real spaces in the Hololens, but also VR headsets.
Using this tech, you can define a virtual floor plan, add 3D objects to it and allow free movement of the objects within the virtual space. But the real power comes from taking a Hololens to a location and viewing it. Think, architects could use this with their customers after designing a building and then traveling to the site to show them how it would look after build completes, in real size.
The Hololens has been with us since 2015 and since then Microsoft has kept its focus on what the business community needs with mixed realities. As always with AR/VR this is a long haul plan, but one that could really work out for Microsoft.
Kinect moving to the cloud
Kinect, originally a sensing input device, which allowed users to control and interact with their console/computer without the need for a game controller, and through natural gestures and spoken commands didn’t really take off when it was first released in 2010 for the Xbox. However, later on a PC version was released allowing artists, hackers and creative technologists to really get to grips with the technology and they produced some groundbreaking uses spanning the medical, industrial and education industries.
And the Kinect has been used in some amazing ways, a few which are summarized in the links below:
- The V Motion Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YERtJ-5wlhM
- Barbican’s Rain Room: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEoyw8Slclc
- Motion Capture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyNrl0vOk5I
At Build 2018, we were shown the latest iteration. And quite different it is! No longer an accessory, instead the Kinect is turning into a cloud service capable of sending information from the camera and depth sensors up to Kinect in the (Azure) cloud, which in turn allows Microsoft to process that information and return in back to the device. Basically the Kinect sensors are being paired with Azure AI allowing developers to make devices that will be more precise.
So if nothing else, this post is in defence of the Kinect. Whilst some have shown surprise that the Kinect continues. We believe that it is a great piece of technology and one that developers should be experimenting with. Get out there and push the boundaries people.
Microsoft rarely garners the standing ovations that other tech behemoths have had but their focus on the future of business is a great move. It’s an amazing experience to see these innovations take shape and excitement is growing for what is around the corner. Now, they just need to actually deliver on their promises, whilst perfecting current offerings or fixing outstanding issues with what already exists, e.g.. Hololens viewport.
With an explosive AI future, Microsoft have to keep pushing boundaries and to be seen doing so. Offering ease of use for developers and brands to choose their products over the competitions is vital for their growth and they may just pull it off.
