HP Launched the first computer with hands free LEAP motion today.

[Guest TankerHC]

Now I want one. 

[MacGyver]

It's got a lot of potential.  It's not quite there, yet.

 

Having had one of the first ones they shipped to developers, it offers a lot of potential.  But, as far a usable apps go, at least right now I'd still classify it as a cool gizmo to impress your friends.

[Guest TankerHC]

It's got a lot of potential.  It's not quite there, yet.

 

Having had one of the first ones they shipped to developers, it offers a lot of potential.  But, as far a usable apps go, at least right now I'd still classify it as a cool gizmo to impress your friends.

I agree, except the impress your friends part, Most of the people I know dont even get Windows 8. But getting tech early always gives you a heads up. LEAP has been out for a while, with a controller. 3rd party developers have already been launching application updates and the tech was considered mature last January.

 

Its ready to go. 3rd party development for hands free should be in full swing within weeks

 

BTW, Im waiting until the November price drops, the Envy is only $1050, but that price will probably drop to 700-800 by Christmas.

Edited September 19, 2013 by TankerHC

[Guest Lester Weevils]

A touchless computer interface reminds of the first touchless musical instrument, the theremin. Theremin, a mutant radio device, for nearly 100 years has been a niche instrument useful for some things, but it is difficult to play conventional music on a theremin. Much easier to have fine finger control on physical buttons, slides, keys, sticks or strings. Waving one's hands and fingers in the air just ain't fast and accurate compared to manipulating a small (or large) physical object. So perhaps the applicability of a hands free computer interface will be similarly limited in speed and control.

Edited September 19, 2013 by Lester Weevils

[JAB]

A touchless computer interface reminds of the first touchless musical instrument, the theremin. Theremin, a mutant radio device, for nearly 100 years has been a niche instrument useful for some things, but it is difficult to play conventional music on a theremin. Much easier to have fine finger control on physical buttons, slides, keys, sticks or strings. Waving one's hands and fingers in the air just ain't fast and accurate compared to manipulating a small (or large) physical object. So perhaps the applicability of a hands free computer interface will be similarly limited in speed and control.

 

What you are saying makes sense.  The advantage a computer might have over a theremin, though, is that the computer should have the ability to 'learn' (i.e. record and store) the movements of at least it's main user and possibly multiple users under different user profiles.  I am thinking of it being sort of like how some of the old talk-to-text programs for PCs worked (I mean the really old ones from back in the '90s) where the program had to learn your specific voice/accent/inflections before the program would work correctly (or as close to correctly as those sometimes clunky things ever worked.)

 

If the technology were built in to allow computers to accomplish such storage and recall of specific and even minute movements by the user (almost an electronic version of 'learning by experience') then I could see the interface on a particular computer starting out clunky, frustrating and imprecise but becoming smoother, easier and more precise with use.  If the tech were designed so that the file in which specific user movement information was stored could be backed up to something like a thumb drive, on 'The Cloud' or whatever then the user wouldn't have to start over from scratch whenever they use a new/different computer.

 

Can you imagine the implications of such technology as it becomes more refined?  I am envisioning a person who is paralyzed from the neck down being able to 'walk', etc. using some kind of robotic exoskeleton that would be controlled using only small facial movements that could be read by sensors focused on their face and then interpreted by an on-board computer no bigger than a smart phone.

Edited September 19, 2013 by JAB

[Guest TankerHC]

All you have to do is look at the genesis of Dragon.

 

What you are saying makes sense.  The advantage a computer might have over a theremin, though, is that the computer should have the ability to 'learn' (i.e. record and store) the movements of at least it's main user and possibly multiple users under different user profiles.  I am thinking of it being sort of like how some of the old talk-to-text programs for PCs worked (I mean the really old ones from back in the '90s) where the program had to learn your specific voice/accent/inflections before the program would work correctly (or as close to correctly as those sometimes clunky things ever worked.)

 

If the technology were built in to allow computers to accomplish such storage and recall of specific and even minute movements by the user (almost an electronic version of 'learning by experience') then I could see the interface on a particular computer starting out clunky, frustrating and imprecise but becoming smoother, easier and more precise with use.  If the tech were designed so that the file in which specific user movement information was stored could be backed up to something like a thumb drive, on 'The Cloud' or whatever then the user wouldn't have to start over from scratch whenever they use a new/different computer.

 

Can you imagine the implications of such technology as it becomes more refined?  I am envisioning a person who is paralyzed from the neck down being able to 'walk', etc. using some kind of robotic exoskeleton that would be controlled using only small facial movements that could be read by sensors focused on their face and then interpreted by an on-board computer no bigger than a smart phone.

 

Already doing it, its called the Brain Neural Computer Interface. Started in Switzerland, the Japanese now have it down to the size of a cigarette pack. Still not ready to be used, and the exoskeleton is gigantic.

 

The Japanese know how to "Shrink Stuff"

Edited September 19, 2013 by TankerHC

[dunndw]

I picked up a Leap controller @ Best Buy last week. Native Windows support is still glitchy. Took it back the next day. IF it's ever built into Windows/Mac as a native controller it'll be a different story

[Sam1]

meh, think I'll wait until the gen 2 or gen 3 products to come out... will let everyone else test this one out