Back to the Future: CAD Returns to the Drawing Board?

Yesterday Microsoft announced a new product called Microsoft Surface. It's a computerized table -- the top surface is a computer display that  recognizes and interacts with physical objects from a paintbrush to a cell phone and allows for hands-on, direct control of content such as photos, music, and maps (see TechCrunch post).

I can envision a CAD table where designers browse, view, annotate, and discuss 3D models

I'm wondering how it will affect the CAD world. I can easily envision a near future with a "CAD table" where designers can browse, view, annotate, and discuss 3D models. Not so apparent is a table interface for 3D modeling.

A new technology that has been the labs for many years (see this example at NIST) is now becoming available to us.

Let me know your opinion, hopes, and expectations for this innovative product!   

Franco Folini

Comments

[George M. Alvarez-Bouse]

I have seen things leading up to this for years. It is a very good development and has many obvious applications.
Imagine a builder showing a customer images of a project, legal documents, equipment descriptions.
Imagine an art curator selecting images for an exhibition and discussing the proposed checklist with the exhibition committee (seated around the table?), with the print shop to discuss captioning, with the exhibition designer to try different placements of the art objects.