You can control your computer in three dimensions using just your hand and finger movements with Leap Motion’s motion-control hardware which will be available in early 2013 and will ship with an application store. Leap Motion is 200 times more sensitive than existing motion-control technology, making it the first product to let users navigate and interact with computer applications using natural hand and finger movements.
You can use Leap Motion’s motion-control for the following tasks
- Basic computing tasks like navigating an operating system or browsing through Web pages
- Precise virtual drawing in 2-D and 3-D
- Signing a digital document by writing in air
- Navigating large-scale 3-D data visualization systems
- Creating and manipulating 3-D models like houses and cars
- Playing computer games, including fast-twitch first-person shooters
Future applications from developers could include medical imaging, robotics, unique art creations, computer-aided design, virtual-reality environments, training simulators for complex manual tasks and more.
The Leap plugs directly into a USB port and calibrates in one step, allowing users to quickly begin controlling their computers with natural hand and finger movements. Users can fine-tune the Leap’s sensitivity settings, create their own custom gestures and even network more than one Leap together to create a larger interaction space.
Developers who want to create Leap-compatible applications can request a Leap software development kit via Leap Motion’s website at Developer Application. Leap Motion’s app discovery platform will make it easy for developers to promote and monetize their own applications for the Leap.
The Leap will be widely available this winter at a suggested retail price of $69.99. A limited number are available for pre-order at Leap Motion.