There's no mouse in my house!

For over forty years, the mouse has been as integral a part of any computer system as the keyboard or monitor. Even the shift from desktop to laptop computers didn't obliterate this humble hunk of plastic and wires; portable computers simply adapted the design of the mouse so that it was built in...but it's still the same awkward two dimensional navigation tool that it's always been. And for this 3D graphics entrenched generation, that simply won't do any longer.

 

Who is this usurper seeking to supplant the faithful mouse? The current candidate for this undertaking is a system called the “Leap,” and it's made by the Los Angeles-based company Leap Motion. Its makers say that despite its diminutive proportions (about the size of a mini Mars bar), it will allow you to browse items on your computer with the wave of a finger, and will even record hand written notes and signatures for official documents all by motioning in the air. Its creators say that its technology is much more refined version of Microsoft’s Xbox Kinect, claiming that it is 200 times more accurate than any other device currently available. It will track and recreate hand movements with the utmost precision.

How does it work? The device needs to be mounted onto your computer in much the same way that a USB key would be loaded. Once it's connected, it requires a swipe of the user's hand to calibrate it. After that, it will sense gestures and movements you weren't even aware you were making.

It will cost about $70, so it won't break the bank, but even so, you'll want to make sure that it's included in your computer insurance in case anything does happen to it. It will be compatible with both Macs and PCs.

Quick...Somebody get on Pinterest and post pictures of artistic ways to reclaim the obsolete mice that will flooding our offices!