We all know there will be a day when the mouse and keyboard will become obsolete, but many think that day is far off. However, that day just might be here with a new project called “LEAP.” As first noted by The Wall Street Journal, the LEAP, developed by parent company Leap Motion, allows you to control your computer by only using your hand. It is a little hardware box as small as a stack of playing cards that sits in front of the computer monitor and tracks your hands’ motions. As you can see in the video above, this is great while playing a game or even browsing the Web. From the looks of it, the LEAP is also very cheap—currently up for pre-order on LEAP’s website for only $69.99.
The technology is very similar to Microsoft’s popular Kinect platform, which allows Xbox 360 and Windows PC owners to get active with their entertainment. Kinect has sold very well since its introduction in 2010, with a slew of games and apps that interact with the technology very well. Microsoft also makes the Kinect’s source code available for those willing to tinker with the code.
Apple is also tipped to be working on similar technology. Several rumors and patent filings over the years show Apple is working on 3D displays and 3D cameras to help capture motion from the body and hands. The technology is believed to one-day come to the rumored Apple TV set, and it could even land on iOS sometime in the future. Apple has also continued hiring for positions pertaining to 3D.
The LEAP is very interesting, and it will be cool to see how it works in real world scenarios. Obviously, gestures are not the best solution to every piece of work done throughout the day, but it can be a nice tool for some. Being priced at $69, I would say this is a relatively good deal. The website said there is only a limited amount available, so you may want to act fast.
Anyone buying? Check out the LEAP’s FAQ page for a little more on specifics.
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