Ultraleap, the company behind the Leap Motion Controller 2, has just launched its newest hand tracking software. Named Hyperion, Ultraleap’s next generation tracking system has many improvements to offer over the previous iteration.
For those unaware, Ultraleap was previously known as Leap Motion Inc. and the Leap Motion Controller 2 is a hand tracking camera setup for VR headsets. The company has been designing hand tracking input solutions for around a decade. Until recently the company was using its older software: Gemini (not to be confused with Google’s AI model of the same name).
Hand tracking can be a massive step up in immersion when it comes to VR games, if it’s implemented properly. Because now, instead of pressing buttons on controllers, you use your actual fingers and hands to play games. And Ultraleap’s Hyperion is pretty excellent at tracking your hands according to the company.
Ultraleap’s software changes how you interact with XR. | Image credit — Ultraleap
Some of Hyperion’s claimed improvements over Gemini are as follows:
It can track finger movements as small as a millimeter.
There is now a low-power mode for less accurate tracking when battery power is a concern.
A 22% improvement in hand tracking when holding objects compared to previous models.
Hyperion allows the Leap Motion Controller 2 camera to track augmented reality markers. In simpler terms, it makes it much easier to track an object.
Lastly, the software can connect to the Leap Motion Controller 2 to enable new possibilities like depth sensing and 3D scanning.
Current hand tracking software from competitors falls behind Ultraleap. Even the otherwise excellent Meta Quest 3 has very basic hand tracking for very simple gestures. The Apple Vision Pro is good but it’s not exactly affordable at $3,499.
This puts decent hand tracking out of reach for the average consumer. Ultraleap’s research and hand tracking software can change that forever if they’re implemented en masse.
Manufacturer DPVR recently announced it was making a VR headset powered by Ultraleap’s technology. This headset, named the E4 Arc, will have the Leap Motion Controller 2 integrated into its chassis.
We’ll have to wait and see how the E4 Arc performs when it comes out. But I really hope that VR gaming goes towards hand tracked input in the future instead of sticking with controllers.
Abdullah is an ardent believer in the future of VR, and can't wait to see what more it brings to the table as technology improves. He enjoys covering new software releases in the XR industry, as well as major news about hardware and companies focused on VR.
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