Just before we went to the Los Angeles Convention Center I had some time to enjoy some coffee at the hotel lobby. I heard a loud dripping sound and soon it was clear. The roof was soacking wet. Maybe this was also the cause of that the internet didn’t function this morning also? Naaahhh, don’t think so.

This day it was somewhat less crowded at the breakfast so we were welcomed by a whole parade of waiters. Thanks  guys.

Because it was so quiet we were finished early and went to the keynote hall on the other end of the Convention Center. There we had some time to post a prepared blog e.g. Things look like this then:

Here some photos to give a slight impression about the size of the hall.

Today’s keynote was entirely about Microsoft Research.

Rick Rashid started his presentation with a short look in history. His group started in 1991 when Microsoft was rather small and not the kind of company to has a research department.
Their statement was and is still today:

• Expand the state of the art in each of the areas in which we do research
• Rapidly transfer innovative technologies into Microsoft products
• Ensure that Microsofts product have a future

Rick talked about the organisational model (like a university), how fast is has grown to over 850 people in 6 locations, how bright all those people are with lots diploma’s, recognitions and publications.
A lot of products of Microsoft have their cradle in Microsoft Research like ClearType, Datamining (SQL 2000) and TabletPC.
The value of research to Microsoft is that they are the source of new product technologies, a problem solving force task for hard problems and an early warning system on new technologies. They let Microsoft respond more quickly to changes; they are smart guys, let them thonk of a solution.

Looking forward to 2020 Microsoft Research is busy with provable systems using the SLAM process.
Energy efficiency is becoming more and more of an issue. Research made a small sensor they are using all over the world.
Microsoft research is working with people in the healthcare field helping sciencetist with solving problems using algorithmes used to detect spam e.g.
Education is also a field Research is investing in. They developed a programming language for kids using the XBox.

At the end of the keynote they demonstrated a new way to display things using a technology called SecondLight.