Microsoft Research Shows Off Ideas, New and Old

During its Silicon Valley Roadshow, Microsoft Research took the opportunity to show off some of the ideas being excavated in its labs.

Researchers showed the Pinpoint Alerts Service, a location service that will allow you to keep track of your kids through their cell phones. Any cell phone can be located through cell tower or Wi-Fi triangulation, or through GPS; either built in or through a GPS-puck connected to the phone via Bluetooth. The service, which is now being tested by Microsoft employees, alerts you via SMS either at certain time intervals, or when your child leaves a certain predefined area. Researchers say this service may also be of use for fleet management or for finding a nice restaurant in your vicinity when on a journey.

Also on display was an idea from Microsoft's department on social computing. Called SNARF, it's a way of sorting your incoming e-mails based on how often you interact with the respective senders, such as how often you respond to their e-mails and how often you delete their messages. You can choose to get e-mail from senders with whom you frequently interact delivered to the top of your inbox.

If you feel like testing this piece of software, you'll find a beta version here.

Researchers also announced that Microsoft intends to launch an upgraded version of AURA this summer. Aura allows you to scan product bar codes in any store, and do various web searches for more information.

The upgraded version will allow a CE-based camera cell phone to do the job for you. You take a snapshot of the bar code, and it's uploaded to a Web site. You can let your friends know where to buy you that perfect birthday gift. The system keeps track of the phone and knows the store where you found the product. On the AURA web site you can add products and also review them.

One idea that caused a stir in the audience was a tool that maps traffic behavior through your cell phone. It has been tested internally among Microsoft's Seattle employees. The system keeps track of the phone's location through GPS, cell towers or Wi-Fi access points. It maps how often you stop, and for how long. The idea is to predict a person's behavior in order to control (read: Stop) the flow of messages or incoming calls to the device while you're driving to make you a safer driver.

Audience members wondered about the integrity of the information: Could it be transferred to your insurance company, for example? And could it allow them to raise your rates?