Gallery: What's brewing inside Microsoft Research?

The Family Archive uses touchscreen technology to allow people to explore family photos and souvenirs.

At the bottom of the screen is a box labelled with a particular holiday. The user has "tipped" the box over using the touchscreen, spilling the photos onto the surface. They can then look through the photos and enlarge them to get a better look.

The idea is for people to be able to explore their pictures in a more interactive way rather than going through files on a PC.

Photo credit: Tim Ferguson/