We’re always amazed at what our developers can build – especially when they combine the Leap Motion Controller with other technologies in new and exciting ways. From lasers and projectors to 3D models and glass panels, here are 7 videos of cool experiments that take Leap Motion control beyond the desktop. If you’ve created or seen other cool videos with Leap Motion, please share them in the comments.
Real-Time Laser Interaction
The light-bending wizards at Marshmallow Laser Feast used the Leap Motion Controller to manipulate lasers with their fingers – creating interactive beams, cascading waves, and fluid shapes.
Untitled° Immersive Art Installation
In June, Untitled° by NATURE graphique wowed the audience at Stereolux, a conference on gestural interfaces in Nantes, France. The team built an interactive monochromatic dreamworld, where viewers could immerse themselves within a surreal 3D scene. They used Leap Motion to explore the landscape with simple hand movements in the air.
Architectural Model Lights
This experiment by creative developer Rom allows you to touchlessly and intuitively interact with an architectural model. When you point at a floor, it lights up and a floorplan appears on a nearby screen.
“Touchless or not, the beauty is that the user consults the detail of the model itself to source more information,” says Rom. “Leap Motion makes for a truly intuitive input device, almost completely hidden away. It will most certainly open new business opportunities to retrofit older installations and projects with minimal adjustments or disruption.”
LED Wall
Another creation from Rom, this barebones LED wall lights up wherever you point. Designing this kind of setup with the Leap Motion Controller was fairly easy, says Rom.
“A small but profound advantage is that the Leap Motion Controller passes coordinates in true distances, making it easy to accurately map the surface of a model. Just jot down the dimensions from the model’s CAD files and offset it against the device’s origin.”
Pepper’s Ghost
Pepper’s ghost is a classic illusion that uses plate glass and lighting to create magical effects that seem to float in mid-air. Using the Leap Motion Controller, this developer was able to manipulate grids, draw lines, and conjure particle storms with his hands. There’s a lot of math behind this magic – and the results are beautiful.
Magic Table
Using the Leap Motion Controller and a projector, Shuhei Matsuyama was able to create a magical table that responds to your hand movements. When you place your hand above the table, a particle system spontaneously appears, with the particles following the movements of your hand.
“I want to express the mysterious and wonderful with Magic Table,” says Shuhei. “The Leap Motion Controller is optimal for interactive applications because it is very quick and intuitive. Magic Table is a prototype project, and I am making Magic Table 2 now – more intuitive and exciting!”
LED Panel
“‘You have this cool LED panel. Do something.’ That was my inspiration.” An hour later, Robert was able to build a Leap Motion-enabled fluid display at his local hackerspace in Stuttgart, Germany. By waving your hands over the device, you can create blobs of color that flow across the panel.
“The video is only a proof of concept,” says Robert, “so it only shows a fraction of what is possible with the Leap Motion Controller.”
These are just a few of the ways that our developers are experimenting with the Leap Motion Controller. Where can you imagine Leap Motion control being used in the future?