Microsoft researchers introduced new technologies at Microsoft Research TechFest 2007, the company’s annual showcase of research projects.

Microsoft Research Senior Vice President Rick Rashid moderated demonstrations of a number of key research programs.

The World-Wide Telescope allows people to peer deep into the heavens to explore distant galaxies on their PCs.

Mix a technology that pulls data from many sources — different Web sites, the computer’s hard drive and databases — and integrates the data into one document that can be easily shared with friends, family members or co-workers. “Think of Mix as a kind of high-tech, living scrapbook,” Rashid said.

Boku allows an innovative way of using Xbox® to teach kids how exciting and rewarding computer programming can be.

Microsoft Research TechFest provides a strategic forum for Microsoft researchers to connect with the broader group of Microsoft employees. Hundreds of researchers from Microsoft’s worldwide labs in China, England, India and the United States gather for the annual event at the company’s corporate headquarters in Redmond, Wash. They come together to exchange ideas with colleagues, show off their latest innovations, and shine a light into the future of computing.

For educators, TechFest offers a glimpse of tools to imagine using in our classrooms sooner than later. It looks like Tableteer teachers and other mobile PC users will have more applications for our smarter tools.

Tablet PC Education Blog