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Ultraleap Gemini

Ultraleap Hand-tracking Update Delivers Improved Two-handed Interactions

From roadtovr

The latest version of Ultraleap’s hand-tracking tech is finally available today on Windows for use with the Leap Motion Controller accessory and promises to improve two-handed interactions, speed, and robustness. The release includes a demo experience showcasing how hand-tracking can be used as a primary input for a standalone XR device.

Ultraleap today publicly released ‘Gemini’, the company’s fifth-generation hand-tracking software which was initially made available in a developer preview earlier this year. The improved hand-tracking software has already been deployed to headsets like Varjo’s and been made available for devices based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2, and now it can be downloaded on Windows to be used with the company’s existing Leap Motion Controller accessory which can be mounted to VR headsets. Support for MacOS and Linux are expected further down the road.

While the Leap Motion Controller is by now quite old, the company has continued to refine the software that underlies it, improving on what is already recognized as some of the best hand-tracking tech available in the industry. More recently, Ultraleap has released improved hand-tracking modules with a wider field-of-view and other improvements, though these aren’t available as a standalone accessory.

Image courtesy Ultraleap

With the Gemini update, Ultraleap says it has improved two-handed interactions, initialization speed, and the robustness of its hand-tracking. Alongside the Windows release of Gemini, the company is also making available an ‘XR Launcher’ demo experience which shows how the hand-tracking tech can be used for a fully functional XR interface.

Ultraleap Gemini Brings 5th-Gen Hand Tracking to Windows

From vrfocus

Earlier in the year, hand tracking experts Ultraleap unveiled a preview of its fifth-generation hand-tracking software offering a number of improvements including two-handed interactions. Called Gemini, today Ultraleap has announced the official launch of this new hand tracking platform, fully compatible with Windows systems.

Ultraleap Gemini

Already available in Varjo headsets and integrated into Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 5G reference design, Gemini marks the first full software release from the company in three years. Completely rebuilding its hand-tracking engine, the core improvements see refinement in two-handed tracking, where occlusion can impair the sensors ability to distinguish between either hand when close together.

Another important enhancement is the speed at which hands are detected. Some location-based entertainment (LBE) venues utilise Ultraleap hand tracking, if you’ve experienced one then you may have noticed that when your hands are out of sight bringing them back would take a few seconds. That should now be rectified with Gemini.

Ultraleap also notes that Gemini offers: “Improved robustness to challenging environmental conditions,” so a user’s hands should be much more easily tracked if lighting conditions suddenly change, for example. To showcase these new features Ultraleap check out the new XR launcher experience in the trailer below.

Ultraleap Gemini

“Ultraleap Gemini is the next step in bringing intuitive and seamless XR experiences to life by making natural interaction between humans and technology possible. With ten years of continuous innovation and experience from supporting over 350k developers, we have refined our hand tracking to deliver the best and most flexible hand tracking platform available,” said Matt Tullis, Product Director, Spatial Computing, Ultraleap, in a statement. “We are looking forward to working with software and hardware partners to bring hand tracking and XR to the masses.”

The new Gemini system is available to download today and works with both the Leap Motion Controller and Stereo IR 170 camera module. For further Ultraleap updates, keep reading VRFocus.