Allocating Controlling Range

In addition to capturing hand gestures from the hands and fingers, you can get optimal gesture flexibility when using the Leap Motion Controller for full arm animation. The rotation of the wrist, elbow, and shoulder will be controlled differently in each mode. ( Watch Video )

The tracking range activation status under each control mode are shown in the table below:

Tracking Range in Control Modes	Finger Bending Only	Wrist Rotation (Hand Facing)	Elbow Rotation (Elbow Facing)	Shoulder Rotation
Upper Arm IK Mode	V	V	V	V
Forearm IK Mode	V	V	V	X
Hand Mode	V	V	X	X
Finger Mode	V	X	X	X

* The Upper Arm IK and Forearm IK Modes are available for Leap Motion Controller only.

Finger Mode - Fingers Bending Only

In this mode, only the character’s fingers will be triggered by captured hand motions as shown below. Hands flipping motions will be ignored.

Tracking Range in Control Modes	Finger Bending Only	Wrist Rotation (Hand Facing)	Elbow Rotation (Elbow Facing)	Shoulder Rotation
Finger Mode	V	X	X	X

If you want to keep the palm pose of a pose key while having the fingers to be controlled by the mocap devices, then you can set the Control Mode to Finger. The video below shows the Leap Motion Controller View and Cartoon Animator previewing result in the Finger mode.

Collaborative mocap by using multiple devices
The finger Mode is most commonly used to co-work with the body mocap. When you want to capture body motions and hand gestures at the same time, but you are not equipped with the Perception Neuron Gloves, you can have one wear Perception Neuron devices to capture body motions, and let another one use the Leap Motion Controller device to capture hand gestures in the Finger mode.

Moreover, you can develop creative animations in this mode as shown in the example below.

Prepare a Bone Hand character. You can replace the finger images with anything you desire.
Click the Motion LIVE 2D button on the Add-on Toolbar. Alternatively, go to Plugins > Motion LIVE 2D > Motion LIVE 2D.
When the Motion LIVE 2D panel displays, connect it to the Hand Mocap Device.
The Control Mode is automatically set to Hand by default. Set Zero Pose to calibrate your hand gestures.
Set the Control Mode to Finger in order that the hand and wrist movements from the Hand Mocap Device are to be masked out.
Preview the capturing result. You will see that only the finger motions will be kept while the hands' will be masked out even you move the entire hands.
If you are satisfied with the preview result, you can save the current adjustment as your custom profile.

Hand Mode - Fingers and Hands (Wrist Rotation)

The Hand Mode is the default control mode for hand motion capture, in which the Hand Mocap Device is able to control the character's wrists and fingers as shown below.

Tracking Range in Control Modes	Finger Bending Only	Wrist Rotation (Hand Facing)	Elbow Rotation (Elbow Facing)	Shoulder Rotation
Hand Mode	V	V	X	X

In this mode, you can flip your hand to flip the character’s hands. The flip result can be turned off by deactivating the Auto Hand Flip option. The video below shows the Leap Motion Controller View and Cartoon Animator previewing result in the Hand mode.

Select a character.
Click the Motion LIVE 2D button on the Add-on Toolbar. Alternatively, go to Plugins > Motion LIVE 2D > Motion LIVE 2D.
When the Motion LIVE 2D panel displays, connect it to the Hand Mocap Device.
The Control Mode is automatically set to Hand by default. Set Zero Pose to calibrate your hand gestures.
Activate the Auto Hand Flip to capture your wrist rotation and flip the character's hand facing automatically.
If you start to Preview (by hitting the button and press the Space bar) to receive captured hand motions, you will see that the character moves its hands from the wrist to the fingers.
If you are satisfied with the preview result, you can save the current adjustment as your custom profile.

Forearm IK Mode - Fingers, Hands and Forearms (Elbow Rotation)

In the Forearm IK Mode, besides the palm and fingers (controlled by the Hand Mocap Device), the character's forearms can also be driven by wrist movements and rotations in the IK method as shown below.

Tracking Range in Control Modes	Finger Bending Only	Wrist Rotation (Hand Facing)	Elbow Rotation (Elbow Facing)	Shoulder Rotation
Forearm IK Mode	V	V	V	X

In this mode, the motions from elbows to fingers will be captured. The video below shows the Leap Motion Controller View and Cartoon Animator previewing result in the Forearm IK mode.

In Cartoon Animator, apply a character and set a pose key for it.
Click the Motion LIVE 2D button on the Add-on Toolbar. Alternatively, go to Plugins > Motion LIVE 2D > Motion LIVE 2D.
When the Motion LIVE 2D panel displays, connect it to the Hand Mocap Device.
The Control Mode is automatically set to Hand by default. Set Zero Pose to calibrate your hand gestures.
Set the Control Mode to Forearm IK in order that the forearm movements can be driven by the wrist. The gizmos will show your hands' relative position in the Cartoon Animator. You can also turn it off by deactivating the Show Hand Effector option.
The Forearm Perspective is activated by default so that the forearms can stretch or squash for different perspective effects.
Preview the capturing result. You will see that the actor's forearms and hands can be animated.
If you are satisfied with the preview result, you can save the current adjustment as your custom profile.

Upper Arm IK Mode - Fingers, Hands, Forearms and Upper Arms (Shoulder Rotation)

In the Upper Arm IK Mode, besides the palm and fingers (controlled by the Hand Mocap Device), the character's upper arms as well as forearms can be driven by wrist movements and rotations with the IK method as shown below.

Tracking Range in Control Modes	Finger Bending Only	Wrist Rotation (Hand Facing)	Elbow Rotation (Elbow Facing)	Shoulder Rotation
Upper Arm IK Mode	V	V	V	V

In this mode, the motions from the upper arms to fingers will be captured. Upper Arm IK will automatically flip your character’s elbow direction when your hands are in different quadrants. You can also turn it off by deactivating the Auto Elbow / Wrist Flip option.
Notice that when the upper arms are controlled by the wrist, the Auto Hand Flip feature will pass the control to the wrist in order to avoid twisting visual flaws on the hands when the palms flip.

The video below shows the Leap Motion Controller View and Cartoon Animator previewing result in the Upper Arm IK mode.

In Cartoon Animator, apply a character and set a pose key for it.
Click the Motion LIVE 2D button on the Add-on Toolbar. Alternatively, go to Plugins > Motion LIVE 2D > Motion LIVE 2D.
When the Motion LIVE 2D panel displays, connect it to the Hand Mocap Device.
The Control Mode is automatically set to Hand by default. Set Zero Pose to calibrate your hand gestures.
Set the Control Mode to Upper Arm IK in order that the upper arm and forearm movements can be driven by the wrist. The gizmos will show your hands' relative position in the Cartoon Animator. You can also turn it off by deactivating the Show Hand Effector option.
The Auto Elbow / Wrist Flip is activated by default so that the elbow direction can change in different quadrants.
Preview the capturing result. You will see that the character's entire arms and hands can be animated.
If you are satisfied with the preview result, you can save the current adjustment as your custom profile.