Microsoft has acquired Canesta, a maker of three-dimension image recognition systems, after using the technology for its Kinect controller for the Xbox games console.
Jim Spare, executive president of Canesta, said: "There is little question that within the next decade, we will see natural user interfaces become common for input across all devices.
"With Microsoft’s breadth of scope from enterprise to consumer products, market presence, and commitment to NUI (natural user interfaces), we are confident that our technology will see wide adoption across many applications that embody the full potential of the technology."
Canesta also has an agreement with Japan’s Hitachi for its televisions and Sony’s Playstation games console.
In 2009, Canesta raised $16m to take its total funding since 2001 to $70m. Its investors include manufacturer Quanta, chipmaker SMSC, car maker Honda, Optex, KGIF, private equity firm Carlyle Group, and venture capital firms Hotung Capital and Venrock.