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Show HN: From hack day to Minority Report style browsing in two weeks [video]

30 points by gantengx 13y ago

marbemac 13y ago
Interesting, but why not use a mouse or trackpad while holding that sandwich?
- etherealG 13y ago
  not that i think the leap has this method of input just right yet, but the extra dimension of movement definitely should allow a lot more complex interaction with just 1 hand theoretically. i think that at least answers why you would want such a thing.
- shadowmint 13y ago
  You mean you've never used your mouse/magicpad after eating a sandwich and gotten grease on it and had to annoyingly clean it up afterwards? Sandwich time casual leap use is by far one of the best use cases I've seen for it, honestly.
  - gantengx 13y ago
    exactly :)
vukmir 13y ago
Great job guys!
- gantengx 13y ago
  Thanks! :)
mattkirman 13y ago
A quick heads up, but at present your application is in violation of the SDK terms and conditions. 2.2.5. Unless otherwise provided in an agreement between you and Leap Motion, you may not use "Leap Motion", "Leap", "Airspace" or any other trademark of Leap Motion in connection with your Application or company, or in any URL, product, service, name field or logos created by you. However, you may indicate that your Application is "for Leap Motion" or "Leap Motion-enabled".
- gantengx 13y ago
  Thanks for the heads up! I'll let my partner know about it
marknutter 13y ago
Someone's going to develop a serious case of gorilla arm.
- gantengx 13y ago
  What's with leap motion and gorilla arm? lol
  - thesash 13y ago
    It refers to the ergonomic problem inherent to the "minority report" style interface used for any extended period of time[1], though to be fair to the creators of this project, this is very clearly presented as a casual, alternative interface, not one to replace mouse and keyboard. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla_arm#.22Gorilla_arm.22 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla_arm#.22Gorilla_arm.22
- simias 13y ago
  For intensive browsing, sure. For more "casual" sessions I think it makes sense. The most obvious use case is browsing the web while eating/doing manual work and your hands are dirty. I use the web a lot for cooking instructions and I could definitely use that.
shadowmint 13y ago
...and I have successfully once again had a college accidentally click on a link by pointing at it on my screen. Still, it's cute. A couple of thoughts: 1) The jump between tabs is the opposite to the direction I'd expect to use. Why does moving my hand right swap one tab to the left? O_o 2) The 5 finger scroll thing is cute, but its frustrating to use, because the leap detects one finger before 5 fingers as your move your hand in. I keep accidentally clicking instead of scrolling. Be really nice to be able to turn clicking off.
- gantengx 13y ago
  1) We implement natural scrolling - so the direction is reversed just like how scrolling is reversed in osx :) 2) ah your finger must have been too close to the monitor, the color in the pointer is the indicator (blue: hovering, green: about to click)
  - wiradikusuma 13y ago
    darn, should have bought Leap Motion, there's a hackathon this coming weekend :( slightly off topic: is the device sensitive enough to detect motion if you put in on the floor and you move your hands while standing? even more off topic: your username is very local :)
    - gantengx 13y ago
      It's good for occasional use - especially with sandwich in one hand lol Not sure about putting it on the floor never tried it before but probably won't be able to detect though, since the instructions also said to put it near monitor Yes, my username is very local ;)
    - shadowmint 13y ago
      unfortunately not. the detect box for the leap is a ~400mm (16") cube centered over the device. unless you're only knee height it won't pick up your hands from standing. (Although it does raise the possibility of amusing apps for 10yr olds :)
darkmuck 13y ago
doesn't this app already exist for free in the airspace store? I believe it's this (Touchless): https://airspace.leapmotion.com/apps/touchless-for-windows/windows https://airspace.leapmotion.com/apps/touchless-for-windows/w...
- palidanx 13y ago
  At least in my experience, using touchless in Windows 8 didn't work well at all.
martin-adams 13y ago
The hardest thing I've found is being able to type one handed while having a food asset occupying my other hand. I know it's early technology, but gesture control in this scenario seems like it uses 10x the energy than a mouse (which may be a good thing). I can see it being useful in public places where you don't want to 'touch' a screen that doesn't get cleaned.
jonnyscholes 13y ago
Hmm. Cant seem to get it to work [even after disabling all other extensions]. Wont let me get past the first calibration test. Pity, it seems far more accurate than any of the others I've used! Looking forward to seeing a FF version!!

30 points by gantengx 13y ago

marbemac 13y ago

Interesting, but why not use a mouse or trackpad while holding that sandwich?

etherealG 13y ago
not that i think the leap has this method of input just right yet, but the extra dimension of movement definitely should allow a lot more complex interaction with just 1 hand theoretically. i think that at least answers why you would want such a thing.
shadowmint 13y ago
You mean you've never used your mouse/magicpad after eating a sandwich and gotten grease on it and had to annoyingly clean it up afterwards? Sandwich time casual leap use is by far one of the best use cases I've seen for it, honestly.
- gantengx 13y ago
  exactly :)

vukmir 13y ago

Great job guys!

gantengx 13y ago
Thanks! :)

mattkirman 13y ago

A quick heads up, but at present your application is in violation of the SDK terms and conditions. 2.2.5. Unless otherwise provided in an agreement between you and Leap Motion, you may not use "Leap Motion", "Leap", "Airspace" or any other trademark of Leap Motion in connection with your Application or company, or in any URL, product, service, name field or logos created by you. However, you may indicate that your Application is "for Leap Motion" or "Leap Motion-enabled".

gantengx 13y ago
Thanks for the heads up! I'll let my partner know about it

marknutter 13y ago

Someone's going to develop a serious case of gorilla arm.

gantengx 13y ago
What's with leap motion and gorilla arm? lol
- thesash 13y ago
  It refers to the ergonomic problem inherent to the "minority report" style interface used for any extended period of time[1], though to be fair to the creators of this project, this is very clearly presented as a casual, alternative interface, not one to replace mouse and keyboard. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla_arm#.22Gorilla_arm.22 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla_arm#.22Gorilla_arm.22
simias 13y ago
For intensive browsing, sure. For more "casual" sessions I think it makes sense. The most obvious use case is browsing the web while eating/doing manual work and your hands are dirty. I use the web a lot for cooking instructions and I could definitely use that.

shadowmint 13y ago

...and I have successfully once again had a college accidentally click on a link by pointing at it on my screen. Still, it's cute. A couple of thoughts: 1) The jump between tabs is the opposite to the direction I'd expect to use. Why does moving my hand right swap one tab to the left? O_o 2) The 5 finger scroll thing is cute, but its frustrating to use, because the leap detects one finger before 5 fingers as your move your hand in. I keep accidentally clicking instead of scrolling. Be really nice to be able to turn clicking off.

gantengx 13y ago
1) We implement natural scrolling - so the direction is reversed just like how scrolling is reversed in osx :) 2) ah your finger must have been too close to the monitor, the color in the pointer is the indicator (blue: hovering, green: about to click)
- wiradikusuma 13y ago
  darn, should have bought Leap Motion, there's a hackathon this coming weekend :( slightly off topic: is the device sensitive enough to detect motion if you put in on the floor and you move your hands while standing? even more off topic: your username is very local :)
  - gantengx 13y ago
    It's good for occasional use - especially with sandwich in one hand lol Not sure about putting it on the floor never tried it before but probably won't be able to detect though, since the instructions also said to put it near monitor Yes, my username is very local ;)
  - shadowmint 13y ago
    unfortunately not. the detect box for the leap is a ~400mm (16") cube centered over the device. unless you're only knee height it won't pick up your hands from standing. (Although it does raise the possibility of amusing apps for 10yr olds :)

darkmuck 13y ago

doesn't this app already exist for free in the airspace store? I believe it's this (Touchless): https://airspace.leapmotion.com/apps/touchless-for-windows/windows https://airspace.leapmotion.com/apps/touchless-for-windows/w...

palidanx 13y ago
At least in my experience, using touchless in Windows 8 didn't work well at all.

martin-adams 13y ago

The hardest thing I've found is being able to type one handed while having a food asset occupying my other hand. I know it's early technology, but gesture control in this scenario seems like it uses 10x the energy than a mouse (which may be a good thing). I can see it being useful in public places where you don't want to 'touch' a screen that doesn't get cleaned.

jonnyscholes 13y ago

Hmm. Cant seem to get it to work [even after disabling all other extensions]. Wont let me get past the first calibration test. Pity, it seems far more accurate than any of the others I've used! Looking forward to seeing a FF version!!