A very simple and inexpensive scanning laser rangefinder system has been developed for use as a precise gestural interface in front of a "smart" interactive surface. This device works by detecting the phase shift between the emitted laser and the detected reflection off of a bare hand. A simple microprocessor locates peaks in the intensity data corresponding to different objects, and outputs the angle and range information for each one over a serial connection. Unlike computer vision systems, our 2-D scanner measurement is unambiguous; it requires essentially no processing, and is unaffected by background light. We have recently re-engineered our prototype and are making more systems to explore new applications in collaboration with sponsors and research partners. We are also exploring integrating this system into small, portable barcode scanners.