The Leap Motion Controller has to be one of the coolest things I've seen in technology ever. This ranks right up there with Kinect and Google Glass. The small 3" device has the potential to change how we interface with computers forever.
I knew when I saw Minority Report one day we would get there but I had no idea it was going to be this year. If you saw the film you could not help but be impressed with the curved plexiglass computer Tom Cruise controlled with the slick light up gloves. Flick something out of the way, grab a spinner knob for your video and zoom in with two hands. That was a slick bit of special effects. I have to admit it impressed me but I thought that it would be a long time before we could do that. Was I ever wrong.
The new Leap Motion Controller will bring that slick technology to you very soon. This summer for around $80 you'll be able to use your hands for more than typing and clicking. You won't even need those fancy light up gloves (although they look cool). You can actually pre-order the device now.
Watch the video for yourself and you cant help but be impressed. I know from reading the Leap hype that they are partnering with companies like Acer to bring this into your next laptop. I think this has the possibility of making something like Windows 8 usable. I won't digress into my hate for Windows 8 but what I will say is that this could turn any laptop Into a touch screen tablet by touching the air. Throw in some of the multi touch gestures from the Mac and you have something really great.
I would love to see this embedded is into something like Google glass. If we can do that we will have taken a huge leap in how we work with computing devices. Daemon by Daniel Suarez illustrated just that type of technology. Where users of the "Darknet" could wear glasses and interact with items in a virtual "D-Space". I would like to think that the "Darknet" is 10 years away but after seeing how much progress Google Glass has made and now with Leap Motion I have a feeling this could be closer than we think.
Overall, I think this product has some real potential. Since users are becoming more interactive with touch devices I think this can really bridge the gap between laptops and touch screens. I've always said that touch screen laptops and PC wont work because the screen will have fingerprints all over it. If you can touch virtual buttons in the air though, you now can make that laptop a touch screen withutThe potential to swipe your hands in the air wearing a pair of glasses allows you to compute wherever you are. The sky is really the limit when you think about the possibilities. Frankly I'm excited to see what sort of apps come out of this little device.
Overall, I think this product has some real potential. Since users are becoming more interactive with touch devices I think this can really bridge the gap between laptops and touch screens. I've always said that touch screen laptops and PC wont work because the screen will have fingerprints all over it. If you can touch virtual buttons in the air though, you now can make that laptop a touch screen withutThe potential to swipe your hands in the air wearing a pair of glasses allows you to compute wherever you are. The sky is really the limit when you think about the possibilities. Frankly I'm excited to see what sort of apps come out of this little device.
