---
title: Infra-red photography with a Leap Motion Controller
description: 
date: 2024-04-26
tags:
  - hardware
draft: true
extra:
  auto_center_images: true
aliases:
  - /blog/leapmotion-photography
---

Ah, Leap Motion...

Back in 2013, a company called *~~OcuSpec~~.. ~~Leap Motion~~.. ~~Ultrahaptics~~.. Ultraleap* released their first motion tracking device, the Leap Motion Controller.

![The Leap Motion Controller](/images/posts/leapmotion-photography/controller.jpg)

I recall first seeing one in elementary school. 

Looking back, I have no memory of what it was being used for, but I remember being fascinated with the diagnostics tool that showed the raw hand tracking data streaming from the device.

![A screenshot of the visualizer](/images/posts/leapmotion-photography/leap-visualizer.png)

## What does one actually do with one of these devices?

Well, you see, thats a great question. Its probably also the reason why the company doesn't seem to be doing as well as people thought it would in the first place.

There are very few practical applications for a non-haptic hand tracker. That being said, a few well-known demos do exist:

- Hans Willem Gijzel used a controller to control Ableton (presumably through an M4L device)