A user to machine interface comprising: - a remote control with at least a trigger button, - a communication link between the remote control and a base station having a display, - motion sensing capabilities for generating motion signals at least partially representative of the motion of the remote control, - processing capabilities configured: ∘ for processing said motion signals in at least one of a first mode and a second mode of operation of said interface, said first mode being either a passive mode not using said motion signals or a pointing mode using said motion signals for cursor movement control, and said second mode using said motion signals to input gestures for gesture recognition, and ∘ for switching the operation of the interface either between the two first modes, or between said first and second modes, said user to machine interface being characterized in that: - the switching decisions are based on an evaluation of a combination of i) an analysis of an ON state of said trigger button resulting from the user pressing/releasing said trigger button, comprising a computation of a duration δ ON of an ON state and ii) a function Q motion representative of a quantity of motion imparted to the remote by the user, derived from the motion signals at at least one moment during said ON state; - the interface being in either of the two first modes, switching between the two first modes is selected if the duration δ ON of the ON state is below a pre-set duration threshold δ ON max, and the function Q motion representative of the quantity of movement is below a pre-set threshold Q motion max, and the second mode is selected while the ON state of said trigger button is detected, and the conditions for switching between the first modes are not met. - a remote control with at least a trigger button, - a communication link between the remote control and a base station having a display, - motion sensing capabilities for generating motion signals at least partially representative of the motion of the remote control, - processing capabilities configured: ∘ for processing said motion signals in at least one of a first mode and a second mode of operation of said interface, said first mode being either a passive mode not using said motion signals or a pointing mode using said motion signals for cursor movement control, and said second mode using said motion signals to input gestures for gesture recognition, and ∘ for switching the operation of the interface either between the two first modes, or between said first and second modes, ∘ for processing said motion signals in at least one of a first mode and a second mode of operation of said interface, said first mode being either a passive mode not using said motion signals or a pointing mode using said motion signals for cursor movement control, and said second mode using said motion signals to input gestures for gesture recognition, and ∘ for switching the operation of the interface either between the two first modes, or between said first and second modes, - the switching decisions are based on an evaluation of a combination of i) an analysis of an ON state of said trigger button resulting from the user pressing/releasing said trigger button, comprising a computation of a duration δ ON of an ON state and ii) a function Q motion representative of a quantity of motion imparted to the remote by the user, derived from the motion signals at at least one moment during said ON state; - the interface being in either of the two first modes, switching between the two first modes is selected if the duration δ ON of the ON state is below a pre-set duration threshold δ ON max, and the function Q motion representative of the quantity of movement is below a pre-set threshold Q motion max, and the second mode is selected while the ON state of said trigger button is detected, and the conditions for switching between the first modes are not met.