Google Earth Gets Support for Leap Motion
- For developers use at the moment
- May 13 release date
- Google Earth 7.1
Google has just released the newest version of its mapping app – Google Earth, just in time for the international celebration of Earth day.
- For developers use at the moment
- May 13 release date
- Google Earth 7.1
Google has just released the newest version of its mapping app – Google Earth, just in time for the international celebration of Earth day.
The new version features several additions to the current app including a number of map-making and advanced printing tools that are useful for businesses to create legends and scales for their maps. The Viewshed tool now also lets users to identify and calculate viewpoints and sightlines form any placemark you set in the app.
However, the most welcomed feature that the app brings today is its support for Leap Motion. Leap Motion is a USB accessory which is designed to be placed on a desktop and uses two cameras and three infrared LEDs to track hand movements and translate them to computer commands and actions.
This peripheral will allow Google Earth users to navigate the app without the use of a mouse or keyboard. With support for leap motion, users can pan maps, change views and control other settings using hand gestures.
At present, only developers who are building apps for the device are able to gain access to this feature. So although Google Earth already supports Leap Motion, users who want to control the globe using their fingertips may have to wait for the official launch of the device on May 13.
