Microsoft on Thursday opened its Center For Information Work, a laboratory that will let technicians and other researchers explore ways to improve life at the office. The center, located in Redmond, Wash., will match people with technological prototypes that are still five or so years away from becoming products and see what works. For example, the company is currently tinkering with RingCam, a video camera that captures a 360-degree view of a room. Potential applications include a videoconferencing situation where several people seated around a table need to be featured on the screen, said a Microsoft representative.
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