Leap Motion is a company that develops and manufactures motion sensing hardware and software products. The core technology uses infrared cameras and LED lights to track hand and finger movements in 3D space, allowing for precise control of digital objects and interfaces without the need for a physical input device like a keyboard, mouse, or touch screen.
Leap Motion was founded in 2010 by David Holz and Michael Buckwald in San Francisco, California.
The company's first product was the Leap Motion Controller, which was released in 2013 and sold over 1 million units in its first year on the market.
In 2014, Leap Motion launched the Leap Motion Mobile Platform, a version of its technology optimized for mobile devices.
Since then, the company has partnered with various hardware and software companies to integrate its technology into a range of products and applications.
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The Leap Motion Controller is a hardware device that tracks hand and finger movements in 3D space, allowing for precise control of digital objects and interfaces without the need for a physical input device like a keyboard, mouse, or touch screen. It connects to a computer via USB and is compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems.
Leap Motion SDKs (Software Development Kits) are sets of tools, libraries, and APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that enable developers to integrate Leap Motion technology into their own software applications and products. SDKs are available for a variety of programming languages and platforms including C++, Unity, and Java.
Leap Motion technology uses infrared cameras and LED lights to track hand and finger movements in 3D space, allowing for precise control of digital objects and interfaces without the need for a physical input device like a keyboard, mouse, or touch screen. The core technology is proprietary to Leap Motion.
The Leap Motion Controller is compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems, and requires a USB port. Some manufacturers have also integrated Leap Motion technology into their own products, such as VR headsets and all-in-one PCs.
Leap Motion can be used for a variety of applications including gaming, virtual reality, education, robotics, and CAD (Computer-Aided Design). Some of the specific use cases include controlling digital musical instruments, manipulating virtual objects, and interacting with 3D modeling software.
Leap Motion has developed a mobile platform optimized for Android devices, but it has not gained widespread adoption. However, some developers have created apps that use Leap Motion technology for mobile VR headsets like Google Cardboard and Samsung Gear VR.
As of 2021, Leap Motion is still in business and continues to develop and sell its motion sensing hardware and software products. However, the company has shifted its focus in recent years to enterprise and industrial use cases, and has not released any new consumer-facing products since 2016.