AMAZING: BMW Konfigurator based on Microsoft Surface

Let me start first with what Microsoft Surface is. Some of you might have heard already of it, but just in case you haven’t, let me give you a short description from a Wiki:

Microsoft Surface, is a Multi-touch product from Microsoft which is developed as a software and hardware combination technology that allows a user, or multiple users, to manipulate digital content by the use of natural motions, hand gestures, or physical objects.

And here is one of the thousands of videos released so far:

Now, you might be asking yourself what this has to do with BMW. Well, until a few days ago, nothing really, even though we knew that BMW will not pass on to this new technology and will find some use for it.

A company called Vectorform has released an alpha version of a prototype based on the Microsoft Surface, called BMW Konfigurator.

The name might give it away, but trust me, you will be blown away by this amazing piece of technology. Basically, you set your BMW car key on top of the surface and instantly your car comes up on the screen. You set a small model of the BMW car you want to learn more about on top of the Surface. Ok, pretty cool, right?

Wait, we are not quite done yet. Once the BMW model is displayed on the surface, you can grab some small colored squared pieces and place them on the surface, one at a time, of course. Based on the color of that particular tile, the car color changes accordingly. Now that’s pretty damn COOL!

Ok, I’m excited now and I will stop right here. I will let you enjoy the video and all I can say is that the possibilities are endless and this is just the beginning.

I would like to thank for this great video the guys at Techcrunch, always amazing news, and also the Vectorform team for creating such an amazing prototype.

[Source: Techcrunch ]

9 Responses to “AMAZING: BMW Konfigurator based on Microsoft Surface”

Nico says:

August 22, 2008 at 1:27 am

I don’t think it’s that amazing… he can only turn the car around and change the color…maybe because I’m a tech guy myself

Horatiu B. says:

August 22, 2008 at 1:28 am

@Nico:

Give it time Nico, more things will come to it.

Ketz says:

August 22, 2008 at 8:41 am

Second video:

This video has been removed by the user.

What happened??

Horatiu B. says:

August 22, 2008 at 8:56 am

@Ketz:

I guess BMW didn’t want the world to find out about it. It was removed by Vectorform as well. Next time I should save the video Too bad they removed it, I thought it would have created an amazing hype around it.

Sba says:

August 22, 2008 at 9:56 am

Well anyway the first video is amazing, the drink and payement thing is impressive. Unfortunately it will cost soo much that no one will have it…

cconrad says:

August 22, 2008 at 10:04 am

we had to take it down, sorry guys. when we are able to speak about the behind the scenes we will definitly give you an update!

Horatiu B. says:

August 22, 2008 at 10:24 am

@cconrad: It’s understandable, but I wish BMW will be more transparent when it comes to this, especially this is not new technology and it’s being used already by many companies. But we will appreciate if we could some updates as soon as the NDA is lifted.

Thanks Conrad and great work!

BMW Using Microsoft Surface for Product Navigator — instantwebmeetings.com - Video Collaboration, E Learning, Video Meeting, Unified Communications says:

December 1, 2008 at 7:30 am

[...] is the company that has developed this tecnology for BMW and as we reported back in August, they have more exciting things to [...]

BMW Using Microsoft Surface for Product Navigator | Online Net Meeting says:

December 1, 2008 at 8:07 am

[...] wheel. Vectorform is the company that has developed this tecnology for BMW and as we reported back in August, they have more exciting things to [...]