Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Motion-based controlling is becoming all the rage. HP has announced that its next generation of PCs will have startup Leap Motion's gesture technology. This is a big step forward for the startup, as it is its first embedding deal with a major company.
To build the ecosystem, HP products with Leap Motion integrated in them will have a native build of the hardware's own app marketplace, dubbed AirSpace. At the moment, there isn't much in the way of product list, price or launch date, but the first HP computers with Leap Motion controllers are expected to hit store shelves this summer.
According to the Associated Press, Leap Motion will begin integrating its technology more deeply into HP's products. This means that eventually, tablets and smartphones made by HP will also have the same gesture technology.
To build the ecosystem, HP products with Leap Motion integrated in them will have a native build of the hardware's own app marketplace, dubbed AirSpace. At the moment, there isn't much in the way of product list, price or launch date, but the first HP computers with Leap Motion controllers are expected to hit store shelves this summer.
According to the Associated Press, Leap Motion will begin integrating its technology more deeply into HP's products. This means that eventually, tablets and smartphones made by HP will also have the same gesture technology.
“Customers want to go to the next level when creating and interacting with digital content,” said Ron Coughlin, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Consumer PCs at HP. “Leap Motion’s groundbreaking 3-D motion control combined with HP technology and amazing developer apps will create incredible user experiences.”
Coming soon to HP's personal computers
“Our focus at Leap Motion is to fundamentally improve how people interact with their devices, and offer as many ways as possible to achieve that vision,” said Leap Motion co-founder and CEO Michael Buckwald. “The possibilities for innovation are incredible, when you think about what will come from this collaboration between two respected global leaders in their fields – HP, the world’s largest technology company and Leap Motion, creator of the world’s most powerful 3-D motion-control technology.”
Leap's controller uses three infrared LED lights and two cameras to track users' hands. It plugs into a Windows or Mac computer and sits between the user and the keyboard. Leap's bet is that allowing people to use natural hand movements to control what they do on a computer will make the interaction between human and machine more seamless.
Some of the applications of Leap Motion's controller include the ability to browse the web or reading a book by just 'flipping' through pages, drawing, painting and designing, a different way to handle 3D modelling, and even fun things like having motion-control based virtual musical instruments.
If you want to get your hands on a standalone version of the Leap Motion controller, you can pre-order it from the company's website for $79.99, which is roughly Rs 4,319. It's slated to begin shipping on May 13.
Comparisons can be drawn between the Leap Motion and Microsoft's own gesture-based controller, the Kinect. While Leap Motion's controller seems to be the more affordable option, the Kinect is considerably more powerful, since rather than just being for gestures, it's a full-fledged motion controller because of its powerful camera.
