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I was going to post this as an answer to any of the multiple ergonomics-based questions, but I'll just add to the pile.

Have you seen this yet?

[youtube]_d6KuiuteIA[/youtube]

Your Minority Report future is available for pre-order for $69.99 USD + shipping. But hold on.

It seems that it's not as straightforward as tossing your mouse out the window and flailing at the screen. On their forum, they're asking people which software programs should be optimized for LEAP. I've tossed in my +1 for Pro Tools. But maybe you use Nuendo, or Live, or Logic. So go register and suggest how you think this could be an awesome input device / ergonomic blessing for audio.

I just keep envisioning vertical faders (like a conductor), 5.1 panning (twirl a finger), cutting, fading, knob turns...

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 Woah thats pretty crazy. I could totally see using that "double hand flip" in the video at 36 sec that I've been aching for PT to be able to do fast - like, if you do that hand flip vertically, it could swap the L/R channels on a stereo file (without having to drag it all down to mono tracks etc). And if you did a side-to-side flip, it could reverse the region. – Stavrosound Jul 14 at 23:54
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 Hopefully if they do this kind of integration with PT they'll consult a post sound professional or two versus just making up the gestures on their own. The collaboration of the optimization design is where I could see the greatest benefit. – Stavrosound Jul 14 at 23:55

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I agree that this looks amazing. I think the real question is whether it is actually as responsive in reality as it appears in the tech demos.

Actually though, I think this would be a bit lost on Pro Tools at the moment, simply because it's not designed for this level of interaction. Presumably optimizing software for leap involves another software layer between the device and the program in question. At its most basic this is probably mouse emulation and at it's most complex it could be mouse emulation + gestures triggering shortcuts. I'm just speculating here of course, but I think that serious control would require a re-write (and re-think) of large parts of the program by Avid, and they never seem to get around to anything very fast! That's not to say that this isn't a great idea or advancement for the future, I just think to use this properly the software would have to be designed around its capabilities.

An interesting thought though, is that when you add the ability to manipulate virtual objects as intuitively as real ones - like with your hands and fingers, this means you can work with everything in three dimensions. Perhaps you've seen this 3d sequencer called AudioGL:

[youtube]XJbHcuZUFl0[/youtube]

For sure, this is aimed solely at music sequencing, but I think that there is real potential in the idea, especially as we work with sound in three dimensions. Granted, at the moment you could do everything in the video over a 2d interface with a mouse, but it really looks like it needs to be controlled by the Leap. Imagine using one hand to navigate and the other to adjust controls. It's worth also remembering that this is only the first generation of the idea - it's still only being developed by one person. Often it takes longer for the potential of something to be applied.

We often talk of our role as being a "craft", a term which I've always liked. With this in mind, I think the real challenge for developers is devising tools which allow you to sculpt sound as intuitively as a carpenter sculpts a piece of wood, and I think that this level of interaction is definitely a step in that direction.

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All very valid points. I don't expect it to be ready for PT11, but even if the community develops an audio editor that winds up available on their store, there's a good chance that I'd give it a shot just to see the implementation. – Steve Urban Jul 24 at 21:21
Also, that's a pretty cool sequencer. I hadn't seen that yet. – Steve Urban Jul 24 at 21:22

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