Leap Motion: Death Of The Mouse

The manner in which we interact with our computers is outdated. We still slide a pointing device on a flat surface or our index finger on a touchscreen. We are speaking to our computers through 2D motion and buttons (left, right, up, down and left click, right click) when we live in a 3D world. But our interaction with computers is about to jump a notch with the introduction of Leap Motion, a small device which allows you to control your computer by gesturing your hands and fingers in mid-air. It's quite awesome and the potential uses of this technology are only now being tapped into.

Leap Motion works by effectively capturing any motion in its workspace (the ether above it) and translating it onto the computer. It does this through its array of camera sensors which monitor the 1 cubic feet workspace. It is also extremely accurate (to 0.01 mm) and distinguishes between your 10 fingers and tracks them individually. This is quite a drastic change from one hand stuck on a mouse or the characteristic 2-finger pinch-to-zoom on novel trackpads and smartphones. By dangling 10 fingers in the workspace, you can effectively communicate with a computer in many more ways. And not only can Leap Motion track fingers, it can also track the pen you are holding or a pair of chopsticks! In the demonstration video, you can see someone maneuvering a pair of chopsticks to virtually hold and pull an Angry Bird onto a slingshot. This might sound a bit silly but watch the video and your mind will be blown.

But wait, there are more great news. For one, to use Leap Motion, you only have to plug it into your computer's USB port and install a piece of software. That's right! And it will only cost $70 when it comes out later this year. What more, there are indications that the technology will be integrated in laptops and other devices in the future.

But Leap Motion has the potential to be much more than the next iteration of the mouse. A quick walk-around in the official forum and you'll be exposed to a myriad of great ideas, some incredibly innovation and others just plain fun. Here's a rundown:

1. 3D scanning. Since Leap Motion can essentially track and map anything with supreme accuracy in the workspace, it can easily be devised to scan an object in 3D. Now if you connect a 3D printer to the Leap Motion device, you can actually get a full-blown replicator!

2. Interaction with virtual 3D models. This is an obvious use of Leap Motion. Architects and engineers can easily explore a 3D model on their computers by virtually rotating, zooming in and out, etc. Perhaps surgeons may also find this useful though as they can explore scans and other records without removing their sterile gloves.

3. Sign language. As an accessibility tool for deaf people, Leap Motion may allow for a more intuitive experience.

4. Gaming. Angry Birds and chopsticks is just the beginning.

5. TV remote replacement. The couch will be our home.

6. Directing a virtual orchestra. This can be fun but can also be the perfect tool for conductors.

7. Dental opportunities. You can stick in a smaller iteration of the Leap Motion device in your mouth and spin it around a little to get a full model of your teeth. This is a subset of 3D scanning but I could not not mention such dentist fun.

It is clear that Leap Motion may have tremendous implications for science. After all, 3D scanning, 3D printing and interaction with virtual 3D models have already been put to use by scientists. For instance, Dr. Lacovara at Drexel University, Philadelphia, announced earlier this year that her team would scan the university's fossil collection and print smaller-sized replicas. Leap Motion can greatly accelerate the process.

As Leap Motion opens its platform to developers, coders and other enthusiasts, the technology appears to transcend the boundaries of geekiness and tech gimmickry. This one definitely has the potential to be revolutionary.

So, are we on track for a Minority Report future? Only time will tell. In the meantime, I'm going to do some pushups... don't want to get sore muscles, do I?

[Note that the second video in this post is an extract from the film, Minority Report, rated PG-13 in the US.]

For more coverage of Leap Motion, see: