Multi-Touch Developer Journal

Twisted Pair Solutions and IDV Solutions have announced their partnership in creating an entirely new communications client for the Microsoft Surface computer. Built upon Twisted Pair’s WAVE software technology and exploiting IDV’s extensive knowledge and experience in creating interactive, visual applications utilizing Microsoft SharePoint, the new WAVE for Surface application helps demonstrate the applicability of multiple Microsoft technologies to mission-critical communications.

Microsoft Surface is a revolutionary multi-touch computer that responds to natural hand gestures and real-world objects, helping people interact with digital content in a simple and intuitive way. With a large, horizontal user interface, Surface offers a unique gathering place where multiple users can collaboratively and simultaneously interact with data and each other. Using Twisted Pair’s WAVE .NET Software Developers Kit (SDK), IDV Solutions created an imaginative new WAVE client for the Surface, turning it into a comprehensive communications console that can bridge and patch multiple two-way radio systems such as those operated by Microsoft’s own Global Security Operations Centers (GSOC).

To create a combined application, IDV Solutions paired its innovative Silverlight WAVE interface with Visual Fusion for Surface, a version of its flagship product optimized for the multi-touch computer. With Visual Fusion for Surface, end users interact with visually consolidated data coming from any number of different sources: SharePoint, SQL Server, web feeds and services, and through the Visual Fusion SDK, virtually any other data resource.

Bing Maps serves as the canvas for this integrated content and users are empowered to explore, manipulate, and take action with tools such as spatial query, the ability to draw an area on the map and return relevant content for that ad hoc region. Visual Fusion for Surface provides uniquely powerful situational awareness, dashboard, and interactive map capabilities in a compelling form. All of these capabilities are magnified in this common operational picture with WAVE and Surface since multiple users can accomplish different tasks at the same time on the same interface.

Twisted Pair created WAVE, a voice-over-IP (VoIP) software platform, to bring groups together for critical communications. Used by defense, federal, public safety and commercial customers worldwide, WAVE is best known for its ability to extend and link private two-way radio networks so that users can communicate more effectively. In fact, by enabling interoperable communications among telephony, collaboration and messaging systems, and with group communications systems such as two-way radio, intercom, paging and broadcast systems, WAVE is powering the next generation of communications, collaboration and interoperability solutions.