Windows 7 will be the first operating system from Microsoft to support natural user interfaces out of the box. However, the software and underlying NUI capabilities will only be able to flourish on top of the right hardware platforms. This is why the Redmond company is looking beyond the next iteration of the Windows client for the fostering of natural input solutions. In this context, N-trig, maker of DouSense, announced that Microsoft was among the contributors to a new $24 million funding secured by the company to continue work on its natural input solution.

“With the introduction of multi-touch in Windows 7, integrated with N-trig’s DuoSense technology, our customers will have a new and natural way to interact with their PCs,” Ian LeGrow, group program manager for Windows Client at Microsoft Corp, explained. “By simulating the way people write and touch naturally, N-trig is helping to make it easier to navigate your PC and enable a new class of Windows experiences.”

According to N-trig, the DuoSense technology is already aboard Dell’s Latitude XT, and HP’s TouchSmart tx2. Microsoft has also debuted Windows 7 into public Beta stage at the end of the past week, and is approaching the Release Candidate (RC) and Release To Manufacturing (RTM) development milestones at fast pace. In this context, it is not a coincidence that Microsoft is investing in N-trig. The Redmond company is planning to advertise the multi-touch and gesture capabilities of Windows 7, among the best that the operating system has to offer.

However, in order for Windows 7 to enable users to take advantage of its Natural User Interface, the platform has to run on hardware that supports multi-touch. N-trig revealed that the new $24 million funding would be directed at collaborating with OEM partners, in order to make multi-touch notebooks and convertible computers mainstream. The DuoTouch technology enables users to turn to alternative input models such as touch, gesture, and pen.

“We would like to extend our thanks to all our investors for their support,” Amichai Ben-David, CEO of N-trig, added. “We will use this funding to keep fueling technology innovations in Hands-on computing, providing leading OEM brands with new product platforms and supporting ISVs to develop new applications. Additionally, we intend to expand our global supply chain by developing breakthrough mobile platforms, in order to create and penetrate new markets.”

Windows 7 Beta is available for download here.