Leap Motion’s new motion-sensing tech is built for VR

Leap Motion released “Orion“, a combination of hardware and software that lets people use their hands to interact naturally with virtual environments instead of merely watching or needing to use controllers.

“Because this shift is so stark, we’re making Orion software available on our peripheral starting today so developers can begin exploring a totally new generation of experiences in virtual reality”.

Although the big VR makers are working on hand-tracked controllers to allow us to bring our limbs into virtual worlds with us, Leap Motion has been developing a camera based solution and it’s had some success over the past couple of years. “People can use their own hands and fingers to interact with digital content in VR with the same ease and nuance they use in the real world”, said Michael Buckwald, Leap Motion Co-founder and CEO. And Leap Motion is here to fix it. People will soon be able to grab, move and create objects using their hands on the platform without the need of a controller.

On the hardware side, Orion will include new embeddable tech for VR and augmented reality (AR) head-mounted displays (HMDs).

Orion is an entirely new Leap Motion tracking system built from the ground up for VR/AR.

If you don’t remember, Leap Motion made a device a while back that allows you to use your hands to control your computer.

KitGuru Says: Leap Motion is certainly impressive and has applications way beyond VR.

“It is a seminal point where technology is just another material in there world; there are atoms and electrons and then bits and bytes all just one thing, and that is pretty awesome”. Motion tracking is also faster, smoother and more sensitive, to boot.

Orion is an extension of the company’s existing software, built specifically for virtual reality headsets like the a href=”http://www.itpro.co.uk/desktop-hardware/24781/oculus-rift-release-date-p… target=”_blank” Oculus Rift /a and a href=”http://www.itpro.co.uk/desktop-hardware/24985/htc-vive-release-date-pric… target=”_blank” the HTC Vive /a “.