(AFP PHOTO / Mandy CHENG)

Asus has partnered with Leap Motion to develop notebooks and PCs that respond to hand movements rather than mouse clicks or typing.

The company has promised that the technology, which will be showcased at the International Consumer Electronics Show on January 8, will be rolled out to consumers before the end of 2013 in its top-of-the-range notebook computers and all-in-one desktop PCs.

Compared by many tech journalists to the computer interfaces seen in sci-fi films like "Minority Report," the technology housed within Leap Motion's Controller can track movements to 1/100th millimeter -- smaller than the tip of a pin -- with no visible lag time, has a 150-degree field of view, and tracks individual hands and all 10 fingers at 290 frames per second.

While an exciting development, and an agreement that could push hand gesture interfaces firmly into the mainstream, some may be disappointed that the technology will not be seamlessly integrated into Asus's upcoming PC and notebook range. Rather its new computers will come with a stand-alone Leap Motion Controller which will connect via a USB port, in the same way that an Xbox 360 games console can be used with or without a Microsoft Kinect system.