Leap will make Microsoft's Kinect sit up and take notice

With the onset of devices, like the Wii, Sony’s PlayStation Move and the Microsoft Kinect that’s the latest in virtual interaction with computers, the wire-free lifestyle at the ‘home front’ is becoming a steadfast reality. The future is in reach, is one of the mottos of a new company, called Leap Motion that aims at putting Microsoft’s Kinnect in the second place when it comes to wireless interaction and hands-free motion control with computers.

The Leap 3D motion control system is a state-of-the-art PC interaction that has been designed to offer users a greater level of control and accuracy when using gestures to work on computers. The company claims that the system is so acurate and precise that it actually offers a hundredth of a millimeter accuracy. Aside from simple waving gestures for scrolling etc., as we’ve been seeing in other formats, the Leap system offers Pinch-to-zoom gesture support, among others. All it actually is, is a small little box like device that sits in front of your display. 

More from News & Analysis

What is the US HIRE Bill and why is India’s $250-billion IT sector worried? Is the internet dead? What's this theory that OpenAI's Sam Altman says might be true?

Swipe away

If ever we were to imagine a Minority Report style system in place, this could very well be it. What it’s being termed as is touch-free gestures that the system uses and optimizes for near perfect control of onscreen details. Some reports claim that Leap’s design algorithm is so intricately planned that it can actually sense motion down to the most subtle movements of a finger. That’s about 200 times more sensitive than what’s available on the shelf right now. 

How Leap works is, it creates a “three-dimensional interaction space” of about four cubic feet allowing your hand movements to be accurately detected within this space. The company went as far as to say that it’s more precise and responsive than a touchscreen or a mouse, and just as reliable as a keyboard. 

Size really doesn’t matter

Naturally a set-up like this warrants an app eco-system all to itself and Leap has already put the words out to developers and are currently accepting applications for their SDK.

Take a look at their video showcasing the system in action. The video depicts the use of the system from gaming to 3D art and gesture-based control. 

The Leap system itself is up for pre-order and is priced at just $70 (Rs.3,848).