The Future of VR is Here: Qualcomm and Leap Motion Work Together To Demonstrate Natural Interaction for Mobile VR

Utilizing Qualcomm Technologies’ position tracking and Leap Motion’s embedded hand tracking technology, people can now interact with mobile VR content using their bare hands

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — February 23, 2016 — Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (QTI), in conjunction with Leap Motion, Inc. introduced the first pairing of a natural virtual reality interface on the Qualcomm™ Snapdragon® 835 mobile platform.  For the VR enthusiast, this demonstration of Qualcomm Technologies’ positional tracking with Leap Motion hand tracking is engineered to offer immersive presence in the virtual world and the power to transform that world with one’s bare hands. For the broader VR ecosystem, this relationship ushers in the future of natural human computer interaction for mobile standalone HMDs, and sets a new standard for mobile VR content development.

“As we deliver the new Snapdragon mobile platform for greater immersion with untethered virtual reality HMDs, natural user interfaces like hand movements will help consumers more intuitively interact with VR content and transform the consumer experience. We’re thrilled to work closely with a VR technology leader like Leap Motion so that we can make that possible,” said Tim Leland, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “The Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 was designed to combine six degrees of positional tracking, high VR frame rates, immersive audio and enhanced 3D graphics with real-time rendering in a compact, stand-alone headset for the ultimate VR experience.”

In order for virtual reality to become ubiquitous, it must deliver on the promise of simulating physical presence in real or imagined worlds. This degree of immersion in VR is only possible when virtual visuals, interactions, and sounds become sufficiently close to our real world experiences.

“Technology works best when technology disappears,” said David Holz, Chief Technology Officer, Leap Motion. “Untethered, mobile VR headsets with intuitive, hand-based interaction and position tracking bring a level of quality, immersion, and accessibility to VR unlike anything that’s been seen before.  This relationship with a mobile VR processing leader like Qualcomm Technologies is an important step towards making virtual reality truly ubiquitous, and we believe it has the potential to fundamentally transform the human experience.”

The combination of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 mobile platform and Leap Motion’s cutting-edge hand tracking technology, which renders the precise movement of hands and fingers with very low latency, is designed to allow developers to tap into an incredible software and hardware ecosystem.

To experience this technology first-hand, join Qualcomm Technologies and Leap Motion at the upcoming Game Developers’ Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, Feb 27 to March 3 at booth #2024 in the Moscone Center South Hall. For those based in Europe, you can try this latest technology at the Qualcomm booth #3E10, Hall 3, Fira Gran Via at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Feb 27 to March 2.