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Leap Motion to Give 10,000 New Developers Free Units, Releases Code Library for Intuitive Gestures(Marketwire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 12/18/12 -- Leap Motion, the motion-control software and hardware company changing the future of human/computer interaction, today announced significant investments in its growing developer program. Over the next two weeks, Leap Motion will send 10,000 new developers free units so they can create apps for the Leap Motion controller, the world's most accurate 3-D motion control technology. Developers will be able to monetize their creations in the upcoming Leap Motion application store. Leap Motion also issued a significant update to its Software Development Kit (SDK) and is providing a new game demo application, called Block 54, designed specifically for Leap Motion. The Leap Motion SDK update will include a library of pre-defined interaction APIs. These APIs will allow developers to detect a user's natural movements, such as a pinch or a grab, and map them to a specific task or manipulation of an object within their digital environment. With this latest SDK, developers will be able to accelerate their efforts to create amazing apps for the upcoming Leap Motion application store. "Developing for the Leap Motion controller is an incredible experience -- it's an opportunity to create amazing apps with the next generation of motion tracking technology," said Leap Motion developer Adam Somers. "Leap Motion provides quick and comprehensive support to the development community, and they're clearly focused on meeting developers' needs so that we can create successful applications." Block 54 is a block balancing and stacking game demo that illustrates how users can interact with digital environments in a realistic and intuitive manner. By creating a visual 3-D environment responsive to the hand's position, the Leap Motion controller allows users to immerse themselves in a digital world like never before. Leap Motion is the only motion-control technology with the accuracy and immediate response needed for an experience like Block 54. As part of the SDK release, Leap Motion has made Block 54 available to developers currently in the developer program, along with a video showing the game in action. "Our top priority is making sure that when the Leap Motion controller ships to consumers, it is supported by a wide array of quality apps," said Leap Motion co-founder and CEO Michael Buckwald. "With this in mind we're expanding our developer program to send 10,000 new developers units to design Leap Motion apps. Leap Motion isn't just about a single technological advancement -- we're about building a lasting company that delivers an entirely new computing interaction paradigm." Since Leap Motion was announced in May, more than 40,000 developers have applied for developer units. Proposed applications range from games, computer-aided design and musical instruments to sign language interpretation and education tools. The Leap Motion controller will ship with an application store where developers can monetize their work and consumers can discover new uses for Leap Motion. Leap Motion also announced today that co-founders Michael Buckwald, CEO, and David Holz, CTO, will present at the 2013 SXSW Interactive Festival in a Featured Session. The session will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2013 and Jessica E. Lessin, senior technology reporter and news editor for the Wall Street Journal, will interview the longtime friends and co-founders. Scheduled March 8-12 in Austin, Texas, the SXSW Interactive Festival highlights cutting-edge technologies and digital creativity from the brightest minds in emerging technology. Featured Sessions at SXSW Interactive typically pack the room with thousands of early-adopters, thought-leaders, trend-setters and venture capital industry professionals, as well as national and international media. Other Featured Session speakers at SXSW Interactive 2013 include executives from Intuit, Foursquare and Google. Learn more about Featured Sessions at http://www.sxsw.com/interactive/sessions/featured-sessions. About Leap MotionBased in San Francisco, Leap Motion is a motion-control software and hardware company developing the world's most powerful and sensitive 3-D motion-control and motion-sensing technology. Leap Motion's first product, the Leap Motion controller, will be available in early 2013. Leap Motion is 200 times more sensitive than existing motion-control technology, making it the first product to let users navigate and interact with computer applications using natural hand and finger movements. Leap Motion was founded in 2010 by Michael Buckwald and David Holz. Embedded Video Available Embedded Video Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw attachid=2184823 Add to Digg Bookmark with del.icio.us Add to Newsvine Source: Leap Motion |