Microsoft Research India Demonstrates Multilingual Interactive Digital Map

MSR India Continues to Grow, Expands Into Cryptography and Security Research

BANGALORE, India, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- During its annual
research symposium, TechVista 2006, Microsoft Research India today
demonstrated the first prototype of a multilingual interactive digital
map of India. Kapil Sibal, Honorable Minister of Science and
Technology of India, unveiled the research prototype. Microsoft
Research India and the Department of Science and Technology began
collaboration on this research project in 2005.

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Microsoft collaborated with the Survey of India, part of the
Department of Science and Technology, on development of this
first-of-its-kind prototype, which also includes an online map of
Bangalore in several Indian languages. A special feature enables users
to add information relevant to their own communities tagged to
specific locations on the map. This is the first public demonstration
of an ongoing Microsoft Research India project that explores
innovative ways to create and disseminate geo-spatial data.

"Microsoft Research is a pioneer in the area of digital maps. Its
TerraServer system has provided millions of users with online access
to geographically indexed map and image data since 1998," said Rick
Rashid, senior vice president of Microsoft Research. "Microsoft(R)
Virtual Earth(TM) leverages this technology and has opened the door
for greater achievements in this area of research. We are pleased that
Microsoft Research India has utilized Virtual Earth technology to work
with the Indian government in developing the first-ever multilingual,
interactive digital map prototype for India. Microsoft Research is
committed to continuing its collaboration with the Indian government
to create relevant technologies and solutions."

The Web-based interactive digital maps use Microsoft's Virtual Earth
technology, which also powers the Windows Live(TM) Local mapping
service (http://www.local.live.com), so users do not need to download
and install any software to use the maps. Geographic data from the
Survey of India were used to create the India-wide map as well as the
detailed street-level digital map of Bangalore in several languages.
Microsoft Research India also plans to add greater detail and more
languages to the maps.

The research prototype announced today enables the addition of
information such as the location of polling booths and other data that
empowers citizens to create and maintain maps that are uniquely
relevant to their communities. Microsoft Research India and the
Department of Science and Technology plan to leverage experiences from
this prototype to develop effective countrywide mechanisms for spatial
data creation, collection and dissemination that can be useful in a
number of ways, such as for disaster management. More information
about this project can be found on Microsoft Research India's Web site
at http://www.research.microsoft.com/india.

Microsoft Research India also announced plans this week to expand its
operations over the next 18 months. Plans include expansion of teams
in existing research areas as well as the creation of a new research
group for cryptography and security. In addition, it will conduct a
four-week cryptography summer school, featuring lectures by leading
experts in the fields of cryptography, algorithms and security. The
program is aimed at senior undergraduate students, graduate students
and faculty members.

"Microsoft Research India continues to identify research areas that
are relevant to the region, and to conduct research in areas that are
germane to the available talent. As a world-class lab, Microsoft
Research India's goal is to attract the best talent from both within
and outside the country," said P. Anandan, managing director of
Microsoft Research India. "We intend to support and help boost India's
technology initiatives, as well as to train great, local scientific
minds to excel and advance the progress of basic research in India.
Government, industry and academia continue to be important partners of
Microsoft Research India as part of this initiative."

The newly announced Microsoft Research India research group focuses on
cryptography, security, algorithms and multimedia security.
Ramarathnam Venkatesan, a leading cryptographer at Microsoft Research
in Redmond, Wash., in the U.S., will head the new group. The unit will
collaborate with premier Indian educational institutions, educational
institutions in other countries, and Microsoft research and product
groups around the globe.

About Microsoft Research India

Microsoft Research India, formally inaugurated Jan. 12, 2005, is
Microsoft Corp.'s third basic research facility established outside
the United States. The Bangalore lab joins Microsoft's Redmond, Wash.;
San Francisco; Silicon Valley, Calif.; Cambridge, England; and Beijing
labs in bringing together great minds to build a world-class global
research organization, with more than 700 scientists on staff. The
mission of Microsoft Research India spans several objectives: to
conduct long-term research in both basic and applied areas;
collaborate with Indian research institutions and universities as part
of Microsoft's ongoing commitment to accelerating innovation in
computer science and software engineering; and engage with partners in
industry, academia and government to open new opportunities for
economic growth and consumer choice. Microsoft Research India also
seeks to attract the most talented researchers in the field of
computing and become one of the best computer science laboratories in
the world. More information can be found at
http://research.microsoft.com/india.About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses
realize their full potential.

NOTE: Microsoft, Virtual Earth and Windows Live are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States
and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the
trademarks of their respective owners. SOURCE Microsoft Corp.