Jump to content

Leap 3D Motion Control System: A new gesture based interface for computers

Arthur

By Arthur
in IT News

 Share

Recommended Posts

Arthur

Arthur

Posted
Posted

Leap is essentially a cheaper and more accurate version of Microsoft's Kinect for Windows PCs and Mac's. If it is as good as it looks in the video, I can definitely see myself buying one.

 

Leap represents an entirely new way to interact with your computers. It's more accurate than a mouse, as reliable as a keyboard and more sensitive than a touchscreen. For the first time, you can control a computer in three dimensions with your natural hand and finger movements.

 

 

Leap 3D motion control system is 100 times more accurate than Kinect, will cost $69.99

Motion control startup Leap Motion has demoed its Leap 3D motion control system, which can track motion to around 0.01mm accuracy — 100 times more accurate than the Kinect. Rather than taking Microsoft's approach, Leap Motion creates a personal 3D workspace of about four cubic feet. The Leap consists of a small USB device with industry-standard sensors and cameras that, in tandem with the company's software, can track multiple objects and recognize gestures.

 

In a demo given to CNET, Leap's designers showed off OS navigation and web browsing using a single finger, writing, pinch-to-zoom, precision drawing, 3D modeling, and gaming. From what we can see, it looks to be a very precise system, capable of recognizing objects in your hands and tracking them instead of your digits. Leap Motion is releasing an SDK and also handing out free sensors to "qualified developers" that want to develop for the system.

 

Although Leap Motion is a startup, it has significant funding behind it, and the system is scheduled to launch early next year at $69.99. Leap will be compatible with either Windows or Mac OS X, and is available for (US-only) pre-order from the company's website. We've embedded an official video showing off the Leap's capabilities beneath, but you can head over to the source link below to watch an additional in-depth preview. (Source)

Arthur

Arthur

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Looks like an awfully smooth demo for something that is still a long way from being finished...

Could the patent applications be the cause of the delay?

 

To protect all of the IP inside the Leap, the firm has a slew of patent applications in the pipeline, which is why, despite our efforts, we couldn't extract more info about the hardware and its workings.

 

[...]

 

After four years of research and many iterations of hardware, the Leap was finally finished. (Source)

SYNACK

SYNACK

Posted
Posted
I just saw an article about this now.

 

I think this will be a big deal.

 

This is just Kinect V2, same ideas and exploiting the mindshare of Kinect which is all based on the UI ideas of a futurist employed for set design in a movie.

 

Gesture stuff probably will become a part of the UI story but who know what combination of tech it will end using. There is Kinect, there is this, there is another one which uses an ultrasound field and mics (a few dollars of hardware) for similar close in tracking with lower resolution, there is surface 2 where the whole screen is also a camera. New capacitive stuff from disney that uses pulsed capacitive sensors and a single wire to make surfaces or even deformables like water into gesture sensitive inputs. Screens that pulse current back through them to make your nerves 'feel' buttons.

 

Almost everything is going to be able to become part of the UI, its just a case of how they implement it and make it all somewhat sensible.

Guest Guest

Guest Guest

Posted
Posted
I've pre-ordered! Looking forward to some minority report style computering.
  • 5 weeks later...
  • 7 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...
Arthur

Arthur

Posted
  • Author
Posted

The Leap Motion controller ships on 13th May 2013.

 

www.leapmotion.com/press_releases/leap-motion-controller-set-to-ship-may-13-for-global-pre-orders-in-best-buy-stores-may-19

 

The Leap Motion Controller will support operating system interactions with Windows 7 and 8, and Mac OS X 10.7 and 10.8. The Leap Motion Controller will also come with access to Airspace™, an exclusive Leap Motion application store where users can discover optimized software across a wide variety of categories including gaming, music, education, art, productivity and more.

 

Leading developers around the world are working closely with Leap Motion to produce applications. A few of the expected applications for the Leap Motion Controller include: plug-ins for 3D design software leader Autodesk; Corel’s Painter apps; Disney Interactive’s Wreck-It Ralph: Sugar Rush Speedway racing game; top independent game maker Double Fine’s music game Dischord; The Weather Channel app; and ZeptoLab’s optimized Cut the Rope, a top casual game app.

  • 1 month later...
Arthur

Arthur

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I was looking forward to getting mine next month. :(

 

Leap Motion delays planned May launch to July 22nd « The Verge

 

Leap Motion announced today that it will be delaying the launch of its gesture control device to July 22nd, pushed back from a slated launch date of May 13th. The stated reason for the delay was to allow for a new round of beta testing. Leap Motion CEO Michael Buckwald said the new round would begin the first week of June, and include both developers and non-developers. The company stressed the delay does not concern the hardware device, and will not affect the 600,000 units already produced. Instead, the beta test will focus on improving the software user experience.
bclarke

bclarke

Posted
Posted

Shame about the delay. Was looking forward to getting mine. Still, I would rather see it delayed than get a buggy device.

 

It will be worth the wait.

Garacesh

Garacesh

Posted
Posted (edited)
I want one, but like the Pi I don't think I'll buy one - I don't really have a use for it, nor the expertise to build something I could use (wrist-mounted gesture-controlled pip-boy-like device springs immediately to mind) Edited by Garacesh
  • 4 weeks later...
Arthur

Arthur

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
Wonder if it would work with MPS2012 for metro, might buy a suite full if so.

It looks like it will if the video below of Windows 8 is anything to go by.

 

Leap Motion revealed a new video today showing off the device's gesture control capabilities with Windows 7 and 8. When plugged into a Windows OS device, the Leap Motion will support full multitouch gestures out of the box, allowing users to click, drag, scroll, swipe and rotate screens entirely with gestural input. Leap Motion's previous demos focused on native apps and building out the device's Airspace app store, but the latest news confirms that the device will also be useful for OS-level navigation. The company will enter its recently announced beta testing round next month, before the product's final release on July 22nd. (Source)

 

Edited by Arthur
  • 1 month later...
Arthur

Arthur

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Not long now!

 

It was announced over a year ago as a new way to interact with a PC via a motion gesture capture add-on that its inventors claimed was "200 times more accurate than anything else on the market". This week, Leap Motion announced that the long awaited Leap device will finally start shipping to its pre-order customers later this week.

 

In a blog post, Leap Motion said the plan is to start authorizing the credit cards for people who have already pre-ordered the $79.99 Leap device this week. After that, the company will send a shipping confirmation and delivery of the first Leap product should arrive for those customers on Monday, July 22nd. (Source)

 

http://i.imgur.com/70PlORX.jpg

Garacesh

Garacesh

Posted
Posted

I think I'm going to wait for a greater variety of compatability and some in-depth reviews before I buy one, but I'm still watching this with great interest.

 

I like it, but I'm not seeing much use for it, right now. Not for me.

  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...
betty02

betty02

Posted
Posted

Sorry to bump but has anyone used one? We was looking at Mimio's, eBeams etc for our school, now we are an ALL mac school, so we want something that looks "Apple" I read about these whilst they were on Kickstarted and were collection ours from Maplin tomorrow (£65).

 

Now were only getting 1 as were not 100% this is for us! Now has anyone used these with a projector? Were hoping it is possible and the teacher can just sit wherever and take this with them and do all theres things, or possibly mount above the board facing down so kids can come up to the front and do some stuff etc?

 

Anyone tried anything like this?

jamin

jamin

Posted
Posted
I really like the leap, but for games and geeky things. Once mastered it can be really intricate, fun and the apps coming out for it are very innovative. However I still think its a personal device, not a classroom tool. A teacher would be better off taking a gyromouse around the room than a leap and the students would have fun trying but be able to do little with it mounted. Please post back with how you found it.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing


×
×
  • Create New...