Ever since the invention of the touch screen, people have understood the powerful feeling that comes with navigating a device with a simple flick of the wrist or wave of the finger. Now, thanks to the new start-up based out of San Francisco Leap Motion, the comfort of motion navigation has been taken a step further.
With a flick of the finger, wave of the hand or by making a fist, Leap Motion allows users to navigate their desktop for a mere $79.
The device is a sleek and small 1.2 x 2 x 5-inch rectangular box packed with cameras and sensors that enable it to track a user's hand motions with pinpoint accuracy within an area of two feet above it in any direction. In essence, the device creates an 8-foot dome of area where it can read someone's movements and track them on the device. It attaches to the user's PC via a USB port and is small enough to only take up about as much room on a person's workspace as his or her mouse once occupied.
Reviewers at Endgadget and The Star are mostly impressed with the device's readiness upon setup. For such revolutionary and innovative technology, it's a surprisingly easy transition from out-of-box to integration with one's productivity and computer.
In addition, many of the companies have made apps for its app store, titled "Airspace." Currently the store features more than 75 paid free apps. TVO has enabled one of its online games, Caterpillar Count as well as ports form other devices such as the hit puzzle game Cut the Rope.
Meanwhile The New York Times has created an app that will allow users to navigate their regular mobile section of the paper with the gesture-based controls promoted by Leap Motion.
Overall reviewers seem to be impressed with the Leap Motion as a proof of concept. It's a revolutionary redesign on the keyboard and mouse, however, many are having trouble understanding just how it is an improvement on the keyboard and mouse. Although Leap Motion's controls work, so too do the traditional mouse and keyboard, which everyone has found a way to integrate into their lives. Only time will tell if people will start to prefer leap motion controls to a keyboard and mouse.
