RBC are moving to a store oriented branch environment with focus on interaction rather than the usual customer/ staff with a counter in between.
This article notes RBC are partnering with Microsoft to implement the Microsoft Surface in the newest designs.
There is an accompanying video which covers the branch concept and features some applications for the Surface.
Bankwatch 
Very cool… is RBC the first to do anything like this? I love the idea… there’s probably lots of lessons from the retail goods industry that banks could put to good use in their branches.
RBC is first. Other banks have TV screens in their branch but this is the first example of an interactive app on a computer screen never mind MS Surface.
Creating store oriented branches is an excellent example of a retail bank utilising its learning’s about on-line customer behaviour in a Web 2.0 environment and adapting its physical retail outlets to mirror the models of virtual retail outlets. People use the web as part of their research process when procuring a product or service, and engage with people who are purchasing similar products to obtain an independent and authentic viewpoint. The Royal Bank of Canada has done what other retail banks need to do – listen and learn about how their customers like to buy and not base its business model on how it likes to sell.
A typical buying cycle is that a person does their research on line, then they look to others who are an authority on the product for an opinion and then finally, they engage with the retailer in person, if possible. The Royal Bank of Canada’s store oriented branches achieves this – it provides digital touch-points as part of the research process and ensures foot staff are available to help. It is empowering the customer to explore, learn and make its own decisions about its finances.
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Comment from Hemant Lamba, Banking and Capital Markets Practice, Infosys, and posted by Infosys Press Team
Thanks for the insightful comment Hemant.