The Microsoft Build conference opened this morning. Some of the announcements were technologies that had been previously announced, but are now more generally available (such as Hololens); Some were brand new technologies, such as Bash on Windows.
I was most excited about the Microsoft Bot Framework that allows you to build intelligent bots that interact with Cortana to act as a personal assistant within your app; and Cognitive Services, which includes many of the APIs included in Project Oxford.
Below are the raw notes I took during the keynote. Please let me know (politely) if you discover any typos.
Edge: Biometric authentication for supporting web sites
Fingerprint login (USAA web site)
Ink
Sticky notes: Cortana recognizes words like "tomorrow" as date in appointments or reminder
Draw lines on a map: Distance automatically calculated.
Add labels to map: Labels stay in place when map is rotated in 3D space
Low latency: Ink from pen
Virtual ruler on screen to draw straight line
Developer
GPU Effects, e.g., Blur background synchronized with touch movement
control
control: Allow users to mark up your screen Over 1000 new APIs and features
Released today: VS 2015, Update 2
Announced: Bash shell is coming to Windows (native Linux binaries)
Gaming
UWP: Achieve 4k at 60 frames/second
Xbox games running on desktop
- Take advantage of Windows features
- Consistent input experience
Xbox developer mode
- Run, test, debug game on Xbox
- Preview available today
Cortana on Xbox One
Direct X 12
Hololens
First & only Untethered holographic computer
Hololens shipping today
Releasing app and source code
Apps
- Holographic anatomy: View internal organs &nerves; collaborate with remote partners
- Destination Mars by NASA: Virtual tour of another planet
Cortana
Works on lockscreen
Add Cortana to your app.
Insights: When Cortana surfaced in app
Users must give permission for Cortana to their data
Windows, Android, Web Sites, and (soon) iOs
Skype
Interaction with Cortana
Bots: Remembers context from conversation
- Location of events, friends in locations
- Bots available today
Skype for Hololens
Microservices
Microsoft Bot Framework
Build conversational bots for your application
Rule-based natural language processing
UI to teach bot to understand your jargon/ terms/ slang
Cognitive Services
22 APIs
https://www.microsoft.com/cognitive-services/
Many of them used to in Project Oxford
Custom Recognition Intelligent Service (CRIS):
- Understand speech and language
- Customize speech-to-text
Demo
Smart Phone / Smart glasses app for blind people
Facial recognition and analysis
Read menu, including headings