Which is the next step between mankind and technological devices? The natural interaction of the human hands with the computers is among the most challenging fields in this area.

For example, Leap Motion is a USB peripheral that creates a 3D interaction space of 8 cubic feet to precisely interact and control with software on laptop or desktop computer, sensing individual hand and finger movements independently (explaining video above).

The idea is to enhance the way people interact with computers, with numerous applications, for instance in healthcare, engineering, operating systems, art, gaming. Developed over the past four years by two american technologists in San Francisco (David Holz and Michael Buckwald), Leap Motion uses a patented mathematical approach and it's currently working on Windows Vista 7/8 and Mac OS X, with Linux being in the agenda.

The first exemplars will be delivered in february 2013, and some are already available for pre-order($ 69.99 each one, with delivery worldwide).

Investors include some relevant names, as Andreessen Horowitz venture capital firm and Brian McClendon, vice president of engineering at Google.

In order to apply as a developer: here.

Job positions that are currently open: here.

The technology of the Leap Motion will also be presented at South by Southwest Conference in Austin (Texas-Usa), march 8 – 17, 2013. It's an international meeting on technology, music and films.

The wide field of natural user interface is one of the most important areas in the future of consumer electronics, and this case further confirms what Steve Jobs (1955 – 2011) had understood many years ago: the  interaction with tech devices should be as natural as possible.