Leap Motion

Last spring, we mentioned the Leap -- now called Leap Motion -- a new type of motion controller for the PC, (yes and that silly fruitbox, too). Late last year, the developers shipped about 40,000 units to software developers, and they're targeting a 2013 release. Here's the latest update, with a couple of demonstration videos from said software developers.

While it's an interesting technology with some obvious applications in industry, I don't believe it will replace the mouse as the primary computer interface device. The main reason for that is user fatigue: try holding your hands up in front of you while sitting at your desk. Do it for five minutes and then tell me how your shoulders feel. Now imagine doing that for a three-hour gaming session or a full workday at a CAD station. Even if you prop your elbows on the edge of the desk for support, it's still an unnatural position for the human body.

But who knows? Maybe I'm all washed up and the little things will prove more popular than an open bar at a union hall. I've been wrong before. Once, I think. I don't really remember...