Microsoft working on whiteboard that 'self-sketches' users' diagrams

The firm will unveil the prototype as part of Techfest, an annual event where its researchers reveal some of the projects they are working on.

The demonstration of SketchInsight will be hosted by Bongshin Lee at the company's headquarters in Redmond, Washington, the BBC reports.

She will show how a user could draw an image on a large touchscreen to call on pre-loaded data to create interactive charts, maps or other diagrams.

According to the report, the digital canvas is designed to help workers make sense of 'big data', the growing amount of information available from sensors and other sources.