A New Wave of Motion Control Technology

This futuristic film is becoming more of a reality. Recently, we took another advance in the space with the latest 3D motion control technology announcement by Leap Motion. Whereas Wii and Kinect opened gesture-based technology to the public, Leap Motion has provided a gateway for the technology to enter a third dimension. CNET ran a great profile of the announcement. You can read it here.

While the technology is still in the very early stages and the application is still being finalized, this release should grab the attention of every advertiser interested in driving consumer engagement. If we are at the point where gesture-based technologies are introduced to desktops, we are nearing a point where adoption can move across all digital screens. Similar to Minority Report’s fantasy world of digital OOH and digital place-based media, any place that has a digital screen has the potential to be outfitted with this technology. As a result, a completely different user experience will come into play.

Imagine waiting for a bus, and having the opportunity to play Milton Bradley’s “Operation” game with only the movement of your hands. Or, imagine having the chance to make a virtual Boboli pizza by using your hands to scoop and spread the sauce, sprinkle cheese, toss pepperoni slices, and finally, to lift up and slide the pie into the oven. Instead of the typical “drag-and-drop” functionality that we are accustom to seeing through existing rich media, you could use the movements of your hands to make an action come to life. The possibilities are endless.

What else could marketers do with this type of technology?