Tim Huckaby

Microsoft Global RD & MVP-Emerging Experiences

Founder / Exec Chairman

InterKnowlogy, Actus, VSBLTY

We are seeing a paradigm shift in the use of software. Similar to when graphical user interfaces with the mouse changed the way we used software; we are seeing the same type of software use revolution in the Natural User Interface (NUI). NUI applications are controlled with touch, with physical & virtual objects, with gesture, and ultimately with neural interfaces.

The bye-product of this NUI revolution is a reinvigorated focus on user experience to tackle the challenges “above the hood.” Rich client and rich internet application (RIA) developer technologies have created even greater opportunities for the creation of awesome user experiences in applications. When you couple that with the advent of multi touch capable hardware at consumer prices and the easy to implement, high level APIs in frameworks to leverage multi-touch capabilities, we have the start of the new age of software focused on the Natural User Experience (NUI). NUI applications manifest in “new” platforms such as Windows, Surface, IOS, Mobile, and Kinect. And they manifest in developer technologies like WPF, Silverlight & WinRT and all can leverage innovative capabilities like Multi-touch, Cloud and parallel computing.

But, NUI is more than just multi-touch. NUI is also gesture-based interfaces using the Kinect tracking full body movement, facial expressions, and voice recognition with precision. And within the decade NUI will be Neural based interfaces (both conscience and non-conscience).

This demo focused keynote will take an amusing look at the past and take an impressive look at some of the best software being built today and into the immediate future.