Microsoft has signed ANZ Bank as an early adopter of its multi-touch tabletop screen Surface technology, which is being made commercially available in Australia today.
Surface combines hardware and software technology that allows multiple users to manipulate digital content on a 30 inch tabletop display using touch, gestures and object placement.
Microsoft says that with its 360-degree, horizontal user interface, Surface represents a fundamental change in the way people interact with digital content, simultaneously recognising multiple touch points, allowing for greater collaboration.
In the UK, Barclays has installed the technology at its London flagship concept branch while first direct and US vendor NCR have also both used it.
Following deployments in the US and Europe, Microsoft is now introducing Surface commercially to Australia, with ANZ and Curtin University agreeing to deploy the technology. Microsoft is shipping the unit to corporate customers at a cost of $21,000 for a commercial unit and $24,000 for a developer unit.
Peter Dalton, group general manager, innovation, ANZ, says: "At ANZ, we're exploring a number of innovative technologies, including Microsoft Surface, because we're constantly working to make banking simpler for our customers. We will be using the experience gained from using Microsoft Surface to work out how we can use touch and surface-based technologies to make managing money simpler and more exciting."
Surface desktops also featured prominently in a recent Commonwealth Bank of Australia video on the future of banking that was released on YouTube.