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Google Earth update includes support for Leap Motion's gesture control device

Google Earth update includes support for Leap Motion's gesture control device

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Leap Motion controller
Leap Motion controller

The latest update to Google Earth is offering something unexpected: gesture control. Google announced today that the latest desktop version of Earth will include native support for Leap Motion's gesture control device, shipping next month. The demo below shows how it will work, using Leap's API to enable hands-free control of basic spatial commands like zooming and spinning. According to a Leap Motion representative, the Google Earth team received a developer unit when they shipped earlier this year, and more developed the necessary code to use the Leap directly. Google Earth joins a slate of already-announced software for Leap Motion, including games from Tim Shafer and Disney, as well as professional software from Autodesk and Corel.