Motion control technology has become quite popular over the past few years, with the Nintendo Wii widely credited as the console responsible for bringing the platform to the masses.
Wireless motion control was ultimately adopted by a number of gaming companies such as Microsoft, which debuted the Kinect for the wildly popular Xbox 360 and Windows PCs.
And now a company known as Leap Motion has created a new device that it calls the Leap, which is supposedl 200 times more accurate than existing technology. The Leap device is about the size of a pack of gum and connects to a computer via USB.
Once connected, Leap creates a virtual workspace that is approximately 4 cubic feet in size. Within the workspace, Leap is capable of tracking ten fingers simultaneously to within 1/100 of the millimeter. This extreme level of accuracy allows for gesture controls such as pinch to zoom and other complex actions like manipulating 3-D rendered object. Frankly, it seems eerily reminiscent of the Minority Report computer system.
As expected, the software that allows the device to function can be embedded inside any device with an onboard computer, including mobile phones, tablets and even kitchen appliances. The software can also be easily customized with specific gestures, combinations and various sensitivity settings – while the daisy chaining of Multiple Leap devices is supported to create a larger workspace. As cool as the technology behind the device is, one of the most notable features is the price, which will only set you back a cool $69.99.
