Leap Motion

We might be entering the Age of Inputs when it comes to VR.

Hand-sensing input technology company Leap Motion is now an official launch partner with OSVR , the open-source VR headset consortium backed by Razer, Sensics, and many others. Leap Motion has been working on integrating its hand-tracking motion-sensing tech with virtual reality technology over the last year, and even demonstrated the capability with OSVR back at CES in Las Vegas this past January. With OSVR, Leap Motion will be an attachable faceplate, offered as a separately purchased accessory or in a bundle with the Hacker Dev Kit VR headset this June.

Leap Motion

Leap Motion started as a motion-sensing 3D input accessory for PCs , and eventually became embedded into some models of HP and Asus computers. Now, its best bet might be VR: Much like NimbleVR, an Oculus/Facebook acquisition that hasn't made its debut into any Oculus hardware yet, Leap Motion can sense hand movements and sense finger motions in three dimensions. According to Leap Motion's OSVR press release, the OSVR HDK headset will be the first in a "future lineup of head mounted displays that will feature Leap Motion's technology built in."

If you're not familiar with what Leap Motion can do in VR, look at the video above. The Leap Motion hardware and OSVR plugin will work with existing Leap Motion VR applications, and also allow video passthrough using Leap Motion's Image API. Unity and Unreal game engines will also be supported, according to Leap Motion.

HTC/Valve's upcoming Vive VR platform made a splash for its unique use of room-scanning technologies and innovative controller inputs. The open-source OSVR platform will work with a variety of input hardware, but Leap Motion will be there at the start to offer options right off the bat.