GestureTek Inc. and Telefónica announce strategic partnership and investment agreement

Wednesday, December 5th, 2007
Telefónica logo

SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA — GestureTek Inc. – world leader and patent holder in computer vision and gesture-recognition technology for presentation, information and entertainment systems – today announced a strategic investment in the company by Telefónica SA, Spain’s leading telecommunications operator. The agreement finalizes a minority investment in GestureTek to finance business expansion and market growth.

A technology partnership will allow for further development and commercialization of new gesture-controlled gaming and navigation applications. The two companies will jointly penetrate new markets for this trailblazing technology, both in the mobile sector and on other strategic platforms.

The announcement comes just months after the successful launch in Japan of GestureTek’s ‘EyeMobile Engine’ on the DoCoMo FOMA™ 904i and 905i series handsets, and DoCoMo Capital’s concurrent investment in GestureTek. DoCoMo is Japan’s largest wireless operator and is heralded as an early adopter of new mobile technologies.

GestureTek is the inventor of EyeMobile™, the world’s first gesture-controlled user-interface for mobile devices. This software-only solution provides camera phone users with the ability to play games, scroll menu items, navigate way-finding maps and browse web pages simply by tilting or moving their mobile phones. The EyeMobile software uses a mobile phone’s existing camera to intelligently recognize and respond to hand and body movement – providing a simpler, more intuitive and more entertaining interface than with conventional keys or with hardware-based solutions.

Over 50 million mobile handsets currently have GestureTek’s technology available to them. Enabled devices include those on the Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 platform, NTT DoCoMo 904i and 905i series handsets, and more than 30 models from North American carriers operating on the BREW platform, such as Verizon, Alltel and Cellular South.

Video gesture control technology, patented by GestureTek, has been licensed by Microsoft, Sony, Hasbro and various mobile game developers for their gaming products. Games powered by the EyeMobile Engine have also been showcased in pre-eminent awards programs. The technology was recognized at the BREW 2006 Game Developer Awards as the “Best Up and Coming Application”, at the 2006 International Mobile Gaming Awards, and was the IGN Editors Choice Award for Best Mobile Game, Best Puzzle Game and Most Innovative Design. Most recently, GestureTek’s EyeMobile Engine was selected as Best Mobile Entertainment Application at LAPTOP Magazine’s 2007 ‘Best of CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment Awards’.

Users of handsets enabled with GestureTek Mobile’s Eyemobile Engine can now download over 60 gesture-controlled mobile games and other applications. These deliver the capability to scroll menu items, navigate maps with GPS integration, browse photos and scroll web pages on a full browser window – simply by shaking, rocking or rolling their phone.

“GestureTek’s ongoing innovations in gesture-controlled games and applications, three-dimensional camera software and immersive technologies, along with growing support from mobile industry leaders such as Telefónica and DoCoMo, will revolutionize gaming as we know it, and bring the benefits of this state-of-the-art technology to many other exciting environments. Clearly, we’re on the cusp of a paradigm shift in the mobile world, from button-presses to natural human interfaces,” said Bill Leckonby, Chief Executive Officer, GestureTek Inc.

GestureTek technology works on any device or surface. Whether a mobile phone, game console, PC or set-top box, if the device has a built-in camera, GestureTek’s software can deliver groundbreaking “Wii-like” gesture-control. The company’s innovative immersive technology even lets users transport themselves into a 3-D virtual world and interact with characters and objects, in real time and with no special gear or equipment.

“We are excited about our collaboration with GestureTek in growing this new and exciting technology. As the leader in the field of gesture-recognition, GestureTek was our choice as a partner in bringing this technology to the mainstream for both mobile services and in the home,” said Russ Shaw, Director of Innovation at Telefonica S.A..