The LEAP: HIGH ON E-MOTION

The Leap brings next-gen, Kinect-beating gesture control to a computer near you...

MICROSOFT'S KINECT HAS SEEN XBOX and PC users flapping their arms around en masse since 2010, but its usefulness beyond inexplicable fitness things for ladies and bedroom modders has been minimal. Could controller-less control make a bigger splash? Leap Motion's The Leap, a sleek, Apple-like USB peripheral that creates a virtual 3D interactive space measuring eight cubic feet, allows you to control your PC using a, range of complex hand movements. It claims to be 200 times more accurate than anything else on the market, picking out individual finger movements so you can, say, pinch to zoom like on a tablet's touchscreen. Support for a variety of artistic, mapping and gaming apps is promised and the Minority Report-esque future is sure looking affordable, too.
$70 (UK PRICE TBC), LEAPMOTION.COM, OUT DECEMBER

Hands-off with The Leap

Accurate
Apparently 200 times more precise than any other gesture-based controller (hello Kinect), The Leap tracks movements to an accuracy of 1/100th of a millimeter.
Intuitive
Natural hand motions can
be used to control all manner of apps and could reinvent the way we use computers. Will you really miss your mouse?
Gamer-savvy
Use your forefinger and thumb as a makeshift gun and click your thumb down to fire at onscreen enemies. You be careful with that dangerous weapon, now...
Multitouch
Imagine multitouch gestures without the need for the touch bit. The Leap processes detailed, multiple point recognition feedback, allowing you to pinch-to  zoom in thin air.
Customisable
With 3D mapping, bespoke gestures can be set to trigger desired reactions from your computer. We recommend a talent show-style finger phone to launch a Skype call.