• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Billionaire Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says most charities are 'net negative'—and that he has no plans to make his own foundation

2

As the U.S. Treasury shells out $95 billion a month in interest to cover deficits, Trump pitches a $1.3 trillion payout to voters if Republicans win the midterms

3

Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter was suspended over a $427 flight—now he's donating that amount to charity for every tackle he makes this season

1

Billionaire Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says most charities are 'net negative'—and that he has no plans to make his own foundation

2

As the U.S. Treasury shells out $95 billion a month in interest to cover deficits, Trump pitches a $1.3 trillion payout to voters if Republicans win the midterms

3

Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter was suspended over a $427 flight—now he's donating that amount to charity for every tackle he makes this season
TechWorld's Most Admired Companies

Why Facebook is buying a gesture control company

By
Laura Lorenzetti
Laura Lorenzetti
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Laura Lorenzetti
Laura Lorenzetti
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 16, 2015, 4:55 PM ET
A Tour Of The Hardware Lab At Facebook Headquarters As Company Attracts Oculus With Hardware Expertise
Derek Jouppi, a hardware design engineer intern at Facebook Inc., tests servers at the company's hardware labs in Menlo Park, California, U.S., on Monday, April 7, 2014. The largest social network said it is buying Oculus VR Inc., pushing into wearable hardware for the first time and stepping into a race with Google Inc. Irvine, California-based Oculus makes a ski-goggles-like device called Rift, now used for playing games, that eventually could immerse people in experiences like classes and sport events. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesPhotograph by David Paul Morris — Bloomberg via Getty Images
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Facebook’s Oculus VR snapped up gesture-control company Pebbles in a move to better integrate human movement with computer systems.

The terms of the deal, which was made public Thursday, weren’t released by Facebook, but one source told the Wall Street Journal that the total sum was around $60 million.

Pebbles will become part of the hardware engineering and computer vision teams at Oculus, where the company will be put to work finding new ways to advance virtual reality using more realistic tracking—one of Pebbles’ specialties.

 

The Israel-based startup’s technology enables users to see images of their arms and hands within VR headsets, including Oculus VR after Pebbles recently integrated its technology within the platform. That’s a huge step for making VR more realistic and unlocking its future potential. Up until now, competing gesture-identification technologies either didn’t show a user’s arms or hands at all or used generic digitally-generated versions.

“We’ve seen virtual reality make huge strides, changing the way people interact with one another,” said Pebbles in a written statement. “At the forefront of that shift is Oculus, and joining Oculus will help advance our vision building immersive experiences and revolutionizing digital human interaction.”

The purchase brings Facebook (FB) up to speed with Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT) and Intel (INTC), all of who purchased gesture-control startups within the past several years.

[fortune-brightcove videoid=4332754435001]

About the Author
By Laura Lorenzetti
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in Tech


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.