Introducing Leap Motion - The next step for great digital immersion?

Leap Motion: Control your PC through air gestures

NEW YORK -- You're not about to replace your mouse, trackpad, keyboard or even touch-screen as the chief ways to control your computer. But then you start using the new Leap Motion Controller and -- at least in some circumstances -- you can imagine relegating those other devices to the bench.

Using the compact Leap Motion box, I was able reach out into the open space in front of my computer and pluck a digital harp, manipulate a three-dimensional rendering of molecular structures, dissect a frog and — in the popular game of the same title -- Cut The Rope. I didn't make physical contact with the computer or any other devices.

Leap Motion is a gesture-driven peripheral for PCs and Macs that I've been fascinated with ever since the South By Southwest Interactive conference in March where I had my first hands-on — nope, make that hands-above -- experience with the clever motion controller. Though my experience at home with Leap Motion wasn't perfect, I'm no less intoxicated not only by what it can already do but by what it promises to do in the future.

For now, you can draw or paint with your fingers, mold 3-D objects, or explore Google Earth through hand gestures. You can interact using objects too.

I thought this was a pretty interesting step in digital immersion technology. I admit When I watched the following video, I imagined myself manipulating a digital medium with the slightest of hand movements.



I think the applications for this technology are endless. The first that comes to mind is personal use for gaming and computer use. Other applications could extend to the medical field and remote surgery, which already exists, but this would be something entirely different.

The technology has exists for some time already, but making the device more practical and economical makes it more widely available.

The article itself is a bit critical of this product, stating that it wont replace mouse and keyboard any time soon, but applaud it for its accessibility and potential.

As i said in the beginning, this technology can only improve and then we could be looking at the next technological revolution since the time the first mouse came out



Thoughts?

reply to post by MDDoxs


You cannot find the clicker of your tv...ever happened to you? The only thing to solve that problem is to design the remote control of your tv away...

The next remote control generation...is not,.

Absolutely love it.......but we're gonna just get fatter and fatter aren't we.......

Originally posted by Flatcoat
Absolutely love it.......but we're gonna just get fatter and fatter aren't we.......

Tom Cruise looked pretty good in minority report in a future with this tech

I have ordered one, it should arrive over next few days. This technology has great potential. Not to replace mouse and keyboard, but to complement it. Just like touch screens did.

Originally posted by Maslo
I have ordered one, it should arrive over next few days. This technology has great potential. Not to replace mouse and keyboard, but to complement it. Just like touch screens did.

Great! Please let us know how you like it, how it works, and whatever other thoughts you have upon using the tech. You are a brave man to plunge into this BraveNewWorld, and may the fnord be with you.

So the Leap arrived today, I spent a few hours with it. Here are my early thoughts:

The tracking is very precise and fast, so the hardware delivers what it promises, and thats the most important thing. The only tracking-related issues I encountered was that fingers are not tracked well when they are near each other or behind each other. It needs a second "eye" to make the tracking work in 3D space from all angles, plus some tweaks to the finger recognition algorithm. But overall, the tracking is great and exactly what I expected based on the hype. Take that, Kinect!

It is possible to operate a computer with it, but mouse and keyboard is far more practical. It will get better with more mature software, the mouse emulation app is still rather cumbersome and unfinished. Still, I doubt there is future for LEAP in this type of use, other than touch screen emulation.
Where LEAP will really shine is 3D apps and gaming. But there is a lot of mostly software work to be done until it is ready. And the range needs to be bigger for that.

Originally posted by Flatcoat
Absolutely love it.......but we're gonna just get fatter and fatter aren't we.......

No reason to just end technological development.

Besides, sitting on your butt and clicking a button uses a lot less energy than moving your hands and arms around, so if anything it might help people to stay just a tiny bit more healthy.

I'm already thinking about how I can use this in my actual productivity. As a writer and designer it's not so practical, but if I were a gamer I can imagine it being pretty interesting.