5 quirky technologies that want to change the way we use computers

When it comes to input devices for our computers, not a lot has changed in the last two decades. Keyboards were around well before computers even existed, and the first mouse was invented way back in 1946. Meanwhile, track pads have been a part of mobile computing since the Apple PowerBook 500 was first introduced in 1994.

Gaming has paved the way for a variety of interesting input devices, such as the Razer Hydra motion sensing controller, and Valve is trying to develop a controller that's actually optimized for PC gaming for use with Steam Machines. However, in the age of virtual reality, wearable sensors and motion tracking, we're poised for even more exciting ways to use our computers in the very near future.
Below you'll find five technologies that are still in the early stages yet are poised to change the way we use computers. They include Leap Motion, which has made its way into HP laptops, and Cortana, the personal assistant that will roll onto PCs with Windows 10. What they have in common is a promise of replacing the tired mouse and keyboard with far more advanced methods. Read on for the full rundown, and let us know what you think of this tech in the comments below.

RealSense can see you

Intel RealSense

We've seen Intel's RealSense technology become integrated in more devices as of late. The camera technology can see depth up to a human vision-like 10 feet and provide near perfect dimensions by simply viewing an object. I did a quick hands-on with the RealSense camera built into the Dell Venue 8 7000 tablet at an event, using it to measure a Subway sandwich to see if was indeed a foot long. (It was).
Aside from measuring dimensions, manufacturers have begun implementing the Intel camera technology into PC gaming. So far, we've seen a few demos with RealSense implemented in All-in-Ones like the Dell Inspiron 23, and laptops including the Lenovo B50 and Acer Aspire V17 Nitro, for head tracking and steering a virtual car.
While it may sound similar to the Xbox Kinect, RealSense doesn't use infrared cameras. Instead, it utilizes multiple cameras (up to three on the Dell Venue 8 7000) to create a three-dimensional rendering of the real world. If this 3D photography technology works as promised, fans of flight simulators and serious racing games could kiss goodbye to their specialized Track IR setups. Plus, RealSense opens doors to new control schemes for all sorts of games.

Where's the keyboard gone?

HP Sprout

Although HP Sprout utilizes Intel's RealSense camera as the same underlying technology, it isn't just adding an extra control scheme for gaming or a virtual measuring stick for mobile devices. Rather, the Sprout camera and projector system does away with the mouse and keyboard entirely and replaces them with a giant touch-sensitive mat.
Users can glide their hand over this jumbo-sized touchpad to select and control objects on their PC. Meanwhile, a hanging projector displays anything from a keyboard to a piano. It's an interesting concept that turns this typical 23-inch All-in-One into an immersive computing experience with a second screen.
The projector housing also holds several cameras that capture images using both visible and infrared light to create a 3D view of the world. In fact, users will be able to place things like photos and documents on to the touch mat for a quick scan into their computers.

SteelSeries Sentry eye tracker

In case tracking your head and hands wasn't enough, SteelSeries has developed eye tracking technology in collaboration with Tobii Technology. Originally designed to help disabled users operate a computer without using their hands, SteelSeries is now adapting the technology into a gaming peripheral called Sentry.
So far, the Sentry eye tracker has been used to give eSports fans a sense of the action by letting them see how the Pros play. Sure, broadcasting games is as easy as taking the footage from players screen, but it's impossible to capture the hand and eye movements of a skilled gamer. SteelSeries hopes to use Sentry to add another layer to the streaming experience by highlighting exactly what part of the screen the player is looking at.
Sentry could bring even neater tricks in the future. When the eye tracker was first introduced, SteelSeries suggested the device could be used to control in-game features such as selecting items and controlling the camera.
The idea sounds extremely intuitive as you're already locked on a screen when playing a game, so it makes sense to turn your eyes into yet another controller. The Sentry isn't available yet, but SteelSeries has plans to bring the peripheral to the consumer market. For now only time will tell whether or not this idea truly takes off.

Your own personal virtual space

Leap Motion

Out of all these technologies, Leap Motion is the only one to see mass distribution thus far; the motion-tracking sensor made its way into the world thanks to KickStarter and HP Envy laptops.
Unlike Kinect and other motion sensors, Leap Motion isn't exactly a camera. Instead, it's a sensor pointed towards the sky that creates a virtual space in which you can move your hand to control applications and play games. Leap Motion can visualize your hand as a skeleton, identifying each joint, which makes it fairly neat to seek your bones outlined on screen in neon colors.
Unfortunately, you can't just start flicking through Windows 8.1 menus with the motion-sensing peripheral. Leap Motion has a specific set of compatible applications in its Airspace suite, which allow you to swing your fingers around in games like Fruit Ninja or manipulate Google Earth as if you were handling a real globe in your palm. It's another step towards immersive technology and could make using computers feel a little less disconnected as it is with a keyboard and mouse, though it will need to work with more applications to truly take off.

Hey Cortana!

Cortana

The Star Trekian future is nearly here. While we've been barking orders at our smartphones since Siri popped onto the scene with iOS 5 in 2011, Cortana will be the first, real virtual assistant on computers.
The Halo-inspired personal assistant is baked right into Windows 10, and Microsoft promises it will be smart enough to learn more about users over time. Creepy as that might sound, the hope is your computer will eventually be smart enough to set your appointments or prod you when you forget to put reminders into OneNote. Of course, you can also direct Cortana with straightforward commands such as searching for queries and starting a Skype call.
There is a growing crop of new control schemes popping up. Gaming is no doubt helping to push this trend, with the Kinect and Wii driving interest in motion-controlled gaming. Meanwhile, PCs are become increasingly integrated with our living rooms, where it's simply not fun to balance a keyboard on your lap while you recline on the couch. Keyboards and mice work great at a desk, but they're days elsewhere are looking numbered.