Designing and ultimately bringing a product to market is a long journey that involves a lot of R&D. For Microsoft’s Surface product, it has to be able to withstand being showcased in a retail environment. If you haven’t noticed, retail environments can be one of the most treacherous places for technology.
A new video, posted on the Microsoft Surface blog, shows how Microsoft tests its Surface product using a robot that they have designed for this special purpose. Putting a device like this through all the rubrics of a stress testing is not a simple task. Specifications exist to make sure that products meet the standards set forth by the company to maintain a consistent end user experience.
The 11 minute long video details what steps Microsoft undertakes when testing out its Surface product. As you can imagine, it is quite extensive. Microsoft dubs the testing robot “Patty”.
If you haven’t ever used a Microsoft surface product before, the device is a fresh take on the standard coffee table. Sure, it can be mounted in other variations, but the coffee table configuration allows for natural and intuitive interaction with content like nothing we have seen before.
While the devices are not commonplace as of yet, with each new iteration the entry fee is dropping. As the technology becomes more refined and less expensive, expect to see Microsoft Surface showing up at many new locations.