In February of 2009, it was revealed that Microsoft had purchased a 3D motion-sensing camera company called 3DV. In June, the company showed off Project Natal, leading most to assume the two were connected, though Microsoft countered, saying "we built [Natal] in house." That brings us to today, as (a company you probably haven't heard of) PrimeSense has announced that its 3D motion-sensing tech is being utilized for Project Natal.

"Xbox 360 Hardware Engineering teams developed the 'Project Natal' sensor based on the PrimeSensor reference design to support the special requirements of Project Natal," said Aviad Maizels, PrimeSense president and founder.

What we don't know at the moment is just how much Microsoft's baby relies on PrimeSense. As you can see in the video after the jump (which had to have been directed by Tommy Wiseau) and in Engadget's demonstration, the company's focus has been on gesture control for UI navigation, so it's possible PrimeSense could just be supplying a way for users to interact with the Xbox Dashboard and Guide with motion commands. We'll let you know what we can find out.