Microsoft Ignite Australia 2017 - Conversations as a Platform

Have you ever wondered how a computer can learn to speak to a human? Siri and Cortana are recent examples of conversation bots, but the technology has been around for decades in different forms. Last week Dr Neil Roodyn from nsquared presented talks at Microsoft’s Australian tech conference, Ignite. His first two talks were about building bots that can hold a conversation with a customer, and potential ways in which this process could be used for business.

Click on the links below to watch the presentations.   

Conversation as a Platform Part 1 
Neil discusses the ways in which conversations have evolved in contemporary life through the use of various forms of technology. He explains how to code a conversational bot in Microsoft Visual Studio, using the example of ordering food online. Neil talks about how developers can create a good structure for the code, and explains the complex steps of chaining dialogs.

   

Conversation as a Platform Part 2 
In Part 2 Neil discusses ways in which we can create richer conversations between customers and applications. He discusses ways in which programs can make devices seem more intelligent, and how they can use data and ‘machine learning’ to gather information to make accurate predictions about customers. He talks in depth about LUIS – Language Understanding Intelligent Service, which allows apps to understand language. 

Microsoft Ignite Australia

Developers, IT professionals and curious minds across Australia are heading to the Gold Coast next week (14-17 Feb) for Microsoft's Australian Conference, Ignite. Attendees are expected to walk away with new connections and new ideas about how to do things faster, smarter and better.

At nsquared we're most excited about Dr Neil Roodyn's six presentations.
Come and say hello, and remember nsquared is hiring developers.

Conversation As a Platform Part 1

Tue 14 Feb, 4:15 PM

Speak to me, make your app conversational. In this session you will learn how to integrate Cortana, speech, and the Microsoft Bot Framework into your applications.

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Building apps for Surface Hub - 30 minutes of tips, tricks and q&a on Surface Hub dev.

Wed 15 Feb, 1:00 PM

In this session come and find out about building apps for Microsoft’s biggest most stunning screen.

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Conversation As a Platform Part 2

Wed 15 Feb, 6:30 PM

Enlighten me, make your app smarter. In this session you will learn how to integrate cognitive services and machine learning into your conversational applications.

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Developing for Surface Dial and Surface Studio

Thu 16 Feb, 11:30 AM

If building great software for really cool hardware is what gets you up in the morning, this session is for you!

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Building apps for Surface Hub - 30 minutes of tips, tricks and q&a on Surface Hub dev.

Thu 16 Feb, 3:00 PM

In this session come and find out about building apps for Microsoft’s biggest most stunning screen.

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Building apps for Surface Hub - 30 minutes of tips, tricks and q&a on Surface Hub dev.

Fri 17 Feb, 9:45 AM

In this session come and find out about building apps for Microsoft’s biggest most stunning screen.

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Design and Develop Apps for Surface Hub

In the second half of 2016, Dr. Neil, a director of nsquared, spent some time at Microsoft's headquarter office in Redmond, WA to present training in the design and development of apps for the Microsoft Surface Hub.

The Surface Hub has the potential to have a huge impact on the way we interact in office meetings. It is perhaps the ultimate window Microsoft has created; it is a portal to another room. Skype images appear high-quality and allow for natural conversation. Its touchscreen capabilities allow multiple users to interact with it like a simple whiteboard, a place to write up ideas and involve a group.

Designing for the Surface Hub presents its own set of challenges. How can it be accessible for all people, including those who may be in wheel-chairs, for example? How can multiple users interact with it effectively?

The work we have been doing at nsquared has provided a fantastic foundation to support the delivery of great Surface Hub apps. At nsquared we have been focused on building software for large multi-user interactive displays for over eight years. We know the value of large shared screen devices in public spaces and enterprise meeting rooms.

The lessons we have learned are shared and discussed in a series of training videos presented by Dr. Neil. From set-up, to design, to developing; these videos cover how to create great apps for Surface Hub. Presented with the help of Sankar Nemani and Jackie Giusti from Microsoft, they are essential viewing for prospective Surface Hub designers and developers. 

Click here to watch the training videos.