Last week, hundreds of visitors to the Autodesk Gallery got to explore the magic of Leap Motion during Autodesk’s Design Night on Oct. 3. The Leap Motion plugin for Autodesk Maya 2014 is an incredibly powerful tool for professional designers creating in 3D space. To celebrate Halloween, the Maya team made a special character for users to play with – a 3D Jack-o’-Lantern created and customized in the air with their hands.

Pinching and pulling various headpieces, colorful eyewear, and other wacky accessories onto their creations, participants could then swipe their hand to give their pumpkin a toothy grin or spooky frown. We spoke to designers and developers of all ages looking to integrate Leap Motion technology into their future 3D design projects – creating living, breathing scenes and dynamic characters who might jump right off the screen.

Autodesk’s a perfect fit with Leap Motion, and we had a great time at the event (big thanks to the whole Autodesk team). We’re looking forward to posting future developments with the company and its designers.

While much of the work with Leap Motion and Maya has involved creating and manipulating 3D characters (i.e. virtual puppeteering) we’re excited about the wider possibilities for 3D design and Leap Motion control, from art and education to architecture and engineering.

We’d love to hear what you think – what’s next for touchless 3D design?

Starting today, the Leap Motion Controller is now available for purchase at Newegg.com. The leading online electronics retailer in the US, Newegg.com is a popular destination for gamers and tech fans. To kick off the launch, all Newegg.com purchases of the Leap Motion Controller by October 11 will receive a free download of GameWAVE.

GameWAVE mods your gaming experience by using natural hand gestures to control virtually anything – including keyboard commands, macros, mouse clicks, and camera movements. Take your gaming into the third dimension by casting spells, moving through the game world, and rotating the field of view with your hands and fingers. In the video below, you can see how one gamer used GameWAVE to cast Warlock spells in World of Warcraft:

Since you can map nearly any command to GameWAVE, it’s compatible with virtually any existing game – from open worlds like Skyrim and Minecraft to first-person shooters like Call of Duty and Borderlands 2. Build your own custom configurations for each game, or download pre-set controls them from the growing collection created by the Leap Motion community. Leap Motion also offers great game apps like Dropchord, Fruit Ninja, and Cut the Rope, making it a perfect match for Newegg.com’s community of casual and hardcore gamers.

To order your Leap Motion Controller with GameWAVE (special offer until Oct. 11), check out newegg.com/leapmotion.

Get ready for the next big leap. Today we revealed a new micro sensor that allows our technology to be embedded in a wide variety of devices – and the first one is coming soon. Today HP announced the HP ENVY¹⁷ Leap Motion Special Edition (SE), the world’s first notebook embedded with our 3D motion control technology. Going on sale in the next few weeks, it’s a huge step forward for our platform, and opens up a world of possibilities for our user and developer communities.

When we developed the Leap Motion software and hardware, we always envisioned taking our technology beyond the Leap Motion Controller that plugs into your laptop or desktop. That day has finally arrived. Because the power of Leap Motion is really in the software, the hardware components can be small and simple - without sacrificing performance. As a result, our technology has the potential to be embedded in a wide variety of devices, and we’re excited to get started. In addition to the notebook announced today, HP plans to embed Leap Motion’s technology into more products soon.

We believe the future lies in transforming how people interact with all sorts of technology – making the interface disappear, so that interactions can become truly seamless. Embedding our technology – including Airspace, the Leap Motion app store – into everything from keyboards and tablets to smartphones and head-mounted displays is an important part of that journey.

While the Leap Motion Controller’s hardware is already quite small, we realized we would need to make it even smaller to fit inside other devices. Our hardware engineers designed a new micro sensor that’s only 3.5 millimeters in height (less than half the height of the controller) – making it the smallest embeddable 3D motion control technology on the market.

Check out these previews of the HP ENVY¹⁷ Leap Motion SE and our new micro sensor technology:

The new Leap Motion micro sensor technology will be embedded below the keyboard on the HP ENVY¹⁷ Leap Motion Special Edition, allowing easy 3D control for all your favorite apps. Popular app categories include gaming, making music, and education.

Users turn Leap Motion’s technology on and off by selecting function+space bar. An integrated status LED will light up when Leap Motion is active. Leap Motion-enabled HP devices are identifiable by the Leap Motion logo and unique IR sensor window.

Our embedded micro sensor technology is less than half the height of the Leap Motion Controller, with the same power and precision.

Only 3.5 millimetres high, the new micro sensor (middle vs. the Leap Motion Controller on left) is the smallest embeddable 3D motion control technology on the market.

The HP ENVY¹⁷ Leap Motion SE will go on sale in the U.S. Oct. 16 for a starting price of $1049.99. Airspace Home will be pre-loaded on the notebooks, and will come bundled with five apps: Boom Ball, Jungle Jumper, Dropchord, Disney Sugar Rush, and Jack Lumber, an HP-exclusive app. Stay tuned to the Leap Motion blog for future embedded device updates.

The official press release from HP: http://www8.hp.com/us/en/hp-news/press-release.html?id=1488726#.UjrnXGRATHI
The official press release from Leap Motion: http://www8.hp.com/us/en/ads/new-products/envy-17-leap-motion.html

Elon Musk and SpaceX want to take humanity to other planets. To help make that dream a reality, the real-life inspiration for Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man has been using the Leap Motion Controller to design a rocket part prototype using hand gestures. It’s a truly new experience for the pioneering company, bringing together cutting-edge aerospace engineering with our Leap Motion Controller. And it’s the very same device that anyone can buy on leapmotion.com or grab off the shelf at Best Buy or Maplins for $79.99.

Musk tweeted about SpaceX’s touchless design system on August 23, and it quickly went viral:

By integrating the Leap Motion Controller with their CAD platform, SpaceX engineers can manipulate virtual rocket parts with a high degree of nuance and control. It allows them to dive into virtual models and see them in new ways. From design to prototype, the component can be printed in titanium in a matter of days at SpaceX headquarters.

Founded by Musk in 2002, SpaceX designs, manufacturers, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. They’ve already become the first private company to return a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit and resupply the International Space Station. With their Falcon Heavy rocket, they soon hope to send a crewed spacecraft on lunar orbiting missions.

But their true giant leap for mankind, enabling human settlements on other planets, is a dream decades in the making. Meeting this challenge means nothing less than bringing science fiction to life – playing with engineering and design concepts to create something new. By exploring touch-free interaction with CAD and the Leap Motion Controller, SpaceX takes another first step towards that giant leap.

With new titles being added regularly to the Airspace Store, we’ll be keeping you posted every week with the latest web and Airspace apps. Today, and every Wednesday, is also when we refresh the Airspace Store to highlight new and top-rated titles – check it out.

This week, we have an app that takes you through our solar system, plus a popular app that’s now available for free. On the web, we’re also highlighting a fun flying saucer game.

Education

Solar Walk: Take a stroll through the solar system with this new Mac app from Vito Technology. Navigate through through space and time to learn about our sun’s planets – their trajectories, inner structure, the history of their exploration, points of interest, and more. See them up close, or zoom out to view the entire known galaxy.

Games

Digit Duel: One of the apps that debuted during our launch, Resn’s Digit Duel is newly free on the Airspace Store for Windows and Mac. Your hand is the gun as you face off against bandits, villains, and desperados in this stylish quick-draw shooter.

Web Apps

Before you try Leap Motion web apps, make sure your device’s green light is on, and that you have checked the “Allow Web Apps” box in the Leap Motion Control Panel (General tab). We recommend Google Chrome for these apps.

Flying Saucer Championship: You can play this fun little experiment in your browser. Use your finger or a pencil to guide a flying saucer. Collect red and gold tokens while avoiding obstacles.

As always, we welcome your feedback as we share the latest apps from Airspace and the web. Post your thoughts in our latest app forum thread.

It’s been just 3 weeks since we launched the Leap Motion Controller, and today we’ve surpassed one million downloads on the Airspace Store. As people from 100+ countries have taken their #FirstLeap, we’ve seen thousands of pictures and videos from the Leap Motion community.

To celebrate the 1 million downloads milestone, we’re sharing some incredible #FirstLeap reactions from around the world – people exploring new ways to control their computers, play games, learn about the universe, create music, and more.

Since launch, we’ve added 13 new titles to the Airspace Store and more coming soon. Around the world, thousands of developers are experimenting and creating new applications for Leap Motion technology. Musicians, doctors, teachers, artists, students, and gamers have all found creative and practical uses for their Leap Motion Controllers, and we’re just getting started. Thank you.

With new titles being added to the Airspace Store almost daily, and 86 apps currently available, there’s always something to discover. This week, Fruit Ninja made its debut for the Leap Motion Controller along with several other games, a unique musical image app, and a new way to swipe through content. We’re also highlighting GameWAVE, a popular new app that lets you control your favorite games and OS by mapping gestures to actions.

When combined with the new apps last week – along with web-based apps we’ve featured that aren’t currently in Airspace – we’ve highlighted 21 newly added or web-based apps now available, bringing the current total to 96 apps for Leap Motion. Here are the seven new apps that made their debut over the past week.

Games

Fruit Ninja: Halfbrick’s universally acclaimed touchscreen game has now arrived on Windows for the Leap Motion Controller. Slice fruit in the air with lightning accuracy, avoid bombs, and become the master of splatter. Play in Classic, Zen, and Arcade modes to test your skills. In addition to fingers, you can air slice with a chopstick, banana, pencil, etc.

GameWAVE: Control your OS and computer video games with Uwyn’s versatile, popular gesture-control app for Mac and Windows. With GameWAVE, you can customize your system by assigning actions to a wide variety of gestures. According to our forum users, they have successfully played the following computer games with Leap Motion and the GameWAVE app:

Once you’ve tried GameWAVE with your favorite games, tell us what you played and share your experiences on the Leap Motion forum or tweet @LeapMotion.

Kyoto: Available for free on Mac and Windows, Kyoto is a short, interactive puzzle game with a sublime ambient sound track. Funktronic Labs, which also created Lotus, designed the game as an homage to the magical city of Kyoto, Japan.

Suspect in Sight!: Bring law and order to the streets of Miami, New York, and Los Angeles in this police-chopper arcade game from Jujubee S.A. Available for Windows, Suspect in Sight! features 30 missions, addictive gameplay, and sarcastic humor.

Dead Motion Prologue: Cities around the world are under attack by zombies. Fight the undead with handguns, machine guns, and rifles. Created by Twelve Games and available for Mac and Windows, this first-person shooter offers arcade, survival, and sniper gameplay modes.

Productivity & Utilities

Flowboard: Created by the developers of the same name, Flowboard for OS X is a viewer that allows you to take advantage of a unique presentation and storytelling platform. Use gestures to control side-scrolling publications with images, text, videos, links, and photo galleries. (Note: the current version is only for viewing – not for slide creation yet.)

Music & Entertainment

MusicalMe Images: Strike chords with the colors of your favorite images with this OS X musical app from uSOUNDit Partners. As you move your hand across an image, each color plays a distinct tone. Change keys, scales, and chords for a truly creative experience. Check out the demo video to see MusicalMe Images in action.

For the latest updates from Leap Motion, stay tuned to our blog, subscribe to our newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. We’ll keep you posted on the newest titles in the Airspace Store and other developments in the global Leap Motion community.

As we’ve heard and seen from many of you, we’ve had various issues with pre-order payments and deliveries. If you’ve been one of those affected, we understand how frustrated you are.

Many of you are asking: Why couldn’t you figure this out before launch? Don’t you care about your pre-order supporters who’ve been waiting, many of them since May 2012?

We absolutely care about you. And the truth is, there is no excuse for these issues.

We’re sincerely sorry for the confusion and frustration. Our inability to get Leap Motion Controllers by our launch to many of those who pre-ordered as far back as May 2012 is not the way we wanted to reward you for your early support and enthusiasm.

There have been numerous issues – all of them with various degrees of complication. Adding to the frustration of many is that due to the high volume our support team has been unable to respond as quickly as we would like. For unconfirmed pre-orders, payment failures, shipping or other issues, we’re continuing to make progress on helping the people impacted. We ask for your patience as we work through your calls and emails. We will not stop until we’ve reached everyone.

We have databases, impact charts and response plans, and it all comes down to one critical thing: What we are doing now to make this better for you?

First - We are processing and shipping the orders that we can as quickly as we can. We’re also sending tracking numbers as quickly as we can.

Second - We’ve been reaching out to everyone that has placed a pre-ordered we haven’t been able to process, or that has experienced an error. We’re emailing with an explanation and a solution for getting you your device as soon as possible. Please make sure to check your email (and spam filter) over the next few days if you haven’t already heard from us.

Third - We have more than doubled our customer support team in the past month, but we’re still experiencing delays due to the high volume. We’re hiring more people and our team is working overtime to respond as quickly as we can. Before launch we also added a hotline to take your calls. There have been issues with hold times, dropped calls and poor connection issues, which we’re working to address with our vendor. We’re also looking to get an International toll-free number for you soon.

Fourth - We’ve expanded our online support materials with more information, frequently asked questions and tutorial videos. Please check it out here.

Last but not least - We’ve implemented a new order system on our site that we believe will significantly improve the ordering experience moving forward. This includes new payment options like PayPal.

Again, our sincere apologies. We’ve been honored – and clearly overwhelmed – by the global interest in Leap Motion. We hope that you will stay with us as we move through these growing pains, and continue on our journey to bring 3D motion control to you and the world.

Are you ready to take your #FirstLeap with us, starting now? Leap Motion™ has just launched, opening the setup page to download our software and making the Airspace™ Store public. You can check it out here to discover more than 75 apps currently available.

When you start exploring, take a photo or video of yourself using the device, tweet about it, blog about it, or post it to Facebook or YouTube with #FirstLeap. We’re excited to see and hear about everyone’s first experience with Leap Motion, and we’ll be collecting your feedback to share with our amazing supporters around the world. Thank you.

We’re honored that you’re a part of our vision and our new, growing community.

Our official press release:

Leap Motion Launches World’s Most Accurate 3D Motion Control Technology for Computing

Airspace Store Offers 75 New Apps for Leap Motion to Let People Create, Explore, Play and More

Today people around the world take their first leap with Leap Motion™, the motion-control software and hardware company changing the future of human-computer interaction. The company launched its software today, allowing people to control their computers with natural hand and finger movements. It also opened Airspace™, the discovery platform for people to buy, download and launch apps built for Leap Motion’s 3D interaction. Hundreds of thousands of people pre-ordered the $79.99 Leap Motion Controller, which the company began shipping last week.

At launch, the Airspace Store contains more than 75 applications built by developers in more than 20 countries. The wide range of free and paid apps across many categories allows people to create, explore, play, learn and more through new immersive experiences. The Airspace Store will continue to grow as the large Leap Motion developer community brings more applications to keep expanding the many uses of 3D motion control. Anyone can browse Airspace at https://www.leapmotiontechnology.com.

“Today marks a tremendous milestone for the company, but we’re just getting started,” said Leap Motion co-founder and CEO Michael Buckwald. “Leap Motion enhances the computing experience to allow people to do things in new and better ways, and we’re committed to breaking down the barriers between people and technology to make the future more easily accessible.”

The Leap Motion Controller retails for $79.99, and can be ordered at https://www.leapmotiontechnology.com. Beginning July 28, Leap Motion Controllers will be available in Best Buy stores across the United States. It is also available in the UK from Amazon.co.uk. Partnerships with Asus and HP to respectively bundle and embed Leap Motion’s technology into select computers, as well as expected retail distribution outside the US and UK, will further expand Leap Motion’s reach.

The Leap Motion Controller works with computers running Mac OS X 10.7 or 10.8, or Windows 7 or 8. It requires a minimum Intel Core™ i3 or AMD Phenom™ II processor, 2 GB RAM and a USB 2.0 port.

The Leap Motion Controller launches tomorrow, and last week we began shipping early. We’re sending hundreds of thousands of devices to more than 150 countries around the world. Due to the high volume, we’re still processing pre-orders for shipping. We’re working to get everyone their devices as quickly as possible, and we won’t rest until the last package is delivered.

We appreciate everyone’s eagerness to take their #FirstLeap with us at launch, and regret the inconvenience if you experience a slight delay. We will keep you posted on our progress. We’re working hard to get your pre-orders to you.

Over the past few days, we’ve heard lots of questions from our community about how we’re processing and shipping our pre-orders. Here are four common questions:

Read More