Another Example of Microsoft Surface Touch Operations with E*Sponder

By George Garza | January 26, 2010 in News, Operating Systems, Windows 7

Microsoft and E*Sponder, a software development company that focuses on emergency management response, are working together to provide police agencies crowd and safety control. The E*Sponder Software, called Mapping, works with Windows7 to leverage multi-touch capabilities to manipulate graphical maps and displays using hand gestures.

Last year at Superbowl XLIII, Tampa police worked with E*Sponder to manage the various agencies that were responsible for coordinating safety for the thousands of spectators. With Sharepoint, the Microsoft application for collaborative computing, E*Sponder was able to create a visual system that allowed 25 public agencies to be managed at one location.

Surface Image

Microsoft Surface is a touch technology that works with Windows7 to produce operations using hand and finger gesters. The Mapping software is used by public officials to locate and zoom into trouble spots. The surface is in fact a map of the Tampa area. Police and safety officers can be deployed to different areas, and with GPS technology can be spotted on the map. If safety issues suddenly surface, safety officers can be deployed quickly without disrupting other safety operations at other locations.

E*Sponder-Express

Collaborative computing is at the heart of the Mapping software. Used with Sharepoint, Mapping enables multiple first response safety agencies to share critical information to help in the preparation, response, resolution, and review processes associated with daily activities, events, and incidents.

The Mapping software is a portal that is based on Microsoft SharePoint Server. This is an extremely user friendly solution, and it has the same look and feel as Microsoft Office Suite applications. Consequently those users familiar with Office will see a friendly interface meanwhile other users can be trained quickly. Thus the Mapping solution will ensure that if and when an event occurs, users will be comfortable with the system and can utilize the E•SPONDER solution to its fullest potential.

E-SPONDER Mapping allows an agency to visually display aerial and street maps using either Microsoft Bing or ESRI map services. It also has the ability to create and gather new data on the fly, so you have real time information and to see that new information displayed immediately within maps along with other existing layers. And you can import, file and display new information as a new map layer using industry-standard map formats such as a SHAPE file. So database information can be shared easily. Sharepoint has several backend features usable, including Sql Server 2005, and Visual Studio 2005 with the dot net framework.

The back end feature allows Sharepoint to be an organizational tool that can supply multiple data points to be used. Hence Mapping which can provide it’s own data points can be integrated into Sharepoint so that information from multiple sources can be combined, analyzed, and used. The Surface tool, an operating system function, can help manage the visual features. Keyboards, and mice are not essential, even though this Surface program, is a computer. But as you can see, if not developed carefully you would have an overwhelming amount of data to sift through.

Several companies worked together to develop a central command interface for the touch-screen Microsoft Surface interface. The companies were Infusion Development, E•SPONDER and Microsoft. They wanted to provide the safety incident commander with a visual and tactile dashboard that would allow him / her to navigate through the massive amount of information, to communicate with relevant personnel and to make executive decisions quickly and effectively. One of the benefits of the Microsoft technology is the built in interoperability of Microsoft’s technology, this was the integration of data, and provided the visualization and functionality to Microsoft Surface.

Sources:

Microsoft Surface information can be accessed here.

Infusion Development information can be access here.

E*Sponder information can be found here.

Microsoft news source can be found here.