What Happened: Microsoft announced Wednesday that its time of flight technology (ToF) will be used by Leopard Imaging Inc. to create “solutions in retail, physical security, health care, drones, IoT, robotics, and automotive industries — reinventing camera-imaging experiences for customers around the world.” The cameras calculate how long it takes for light to bounce off an object, then calculates the distance between the camera and the object.

Why It Matters: ToF cameras have many practical applications including gaming, health care, autonomous vehicles and pedestrian safety. Companies that use Microsoft’s Azure software will be able to add the 3D cameras and use ToF hardware in their systems or devices. Leopard Imaging is adopting Microsoft’s ToF because of its clear advantages over competing technologies — providing high-quality data with low artefacts, higher accuracy, lower jitter and low power.

“By powering 3D camera solutions with Microsoft ToF, we want to stay competitive and continue to lead in this space,” said Bill Pu, president and co-founder of Leopard Imaging.