Microsoft’s long-rumored Project Milan has been revealed, and it’s pretty sweet. The technology previously known as “PlayTable” and “Table” is a $10,000 multi-touch, gestural interface technology in a flat 30-inch display table format. I understand it is now being called “Surface” and is sort of an incubated technology demonstration at this time, as it seems that MS is still deciding how to best utilize the tech and in what markets. They are selling it to some casinos and other commercial clients at this time (look for it this fall), but it feels like they haven’t really decided what to do with it yet…right now it’s a very expensive and fun tabletop toy.

The Microsoft Mobile and Entertainment Division (MED) is primarily responsible for development of the Milan Project, so it follows that we’ll likely see this sort of tech trickle down to the Zune, Windows Mobile devices, and the XBOX. I understand that they are interested in other venues of distribution as well, so perhaps it’s use as a hands-on editing display isn’t too far-fetched (though likely to be prohibitively expensive in the short term). The other big company pushing multi-touch at this time is of course Apple, with the iPhone announcement. It will be interesting to see how use of the tech plays out between the two brands in the next several years. I’ve included a short demonstration video of the interface below…

We have also mentioned a similar Multi-Touch research project by Jeff Han, here and here.