Split-Screen Tech Doubles Computer Use

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May 4, 2007 — New technology from Microsoft Research India in Bangalore could end the waiting game in offices with limited computers. Researchers are developing software that splits a computer screen in two halves, each side with its own operating system, desktop, applications, cursor and keyboard.

The technology could help small businesses and schools in developing countries reduce their computer costs and could even work in homes where more than one family member needs access.

"At the most basic level, we are allowing two users to work completely independently on the same machine, sharing both the processor and monitor," said Udai Singh Pawar, assistant researcher and project leader.

The innovation could salvage time otherwise wasted as one person waits to use a computer.

The working prototype uses a standard 19-inch screen, but can also work on 15 and 17-inch screens, which are more common at small businesses in India, said Pawar. The solution is software-based and does not require that a company trade their current PC for a new one. They would simply need to install the software and plug in a second mouse and keyboard.

The software enables two sessions of Windows to share the computer's processor. It also divides the screen in half, running one operating system on the left and the other on the right. If necessary, a user can move her cursor to the other half of the screen, which opens the door on sharing and collaborating with documents.

 

The two workers can also open up a third area on the screen — Pawar calls it an "airlock" — where the users can place shared files and resources. Pawar said that the system is optimal for tasks such as data entry and simple word processing, where screen real estate is not a problem. It can also work well in scenarios where the two people need to share data across their screens or work on documents together.

"If we have a shared display we have a shared point of focus," said Jeremy Birnholtz, a postdoctoral fellow with the Knowledge Media Design Institute at the University of Toronto.

But sharing in such close proximity could also bring up permission problems, he said.

"There's a trickiness to the boundaries in terms of what's mine and what's yours. How much access do you have to it? Or am I still the owner?" he said.

The Microsoft team will be investigating these issues and more in field trials scheduled to start in mid-May, so it could be a couple of years before the split screen is bringing coworkers together.