Apple is developing technology that lets you control a cursor in the air using hand gestures with no mouse, no trackpad. The company filed a patent that outlines how users can interact with 3D environments using just hand motions, eye tracking, and voice inputs across Mac, Vision Pro, and future smart glasses.
The patent describes a system that addresses current problems with cursor-based interactions in 3D spaces. Apple claims today’s methods are slow, inefficient, and error-prone, especially when it comes to editing text or manipulating digital objects. Their solution reduces cognitive strain by making gesture controls more intuitive and energy-efficient, particularly on battery-powered devices like wearables and laptops.
Patentlyapple reports that Apple’s proposal includes a range of input methods: hand tracking through cameras, stylus or finger contact on touch surfaces, eye movements, and voice commands. The patent shows how the system can support a broad set of use cases, from drawing and video editing to messaging and gaming.
Gesture Controls in Smart Glasses and Macs
The patent describes multiple device types. On Macs, users can make air gestures in front of a camera or use a large trackpad to control the cursor. On smart glasses, the interface would display virtual windows and allow users to interact with content in a stereoscopic 3D environment.
Smart glasses would use dual display modules to simulate depth and provide immersive interaction. The user could move the cursor simply by shifting their hand in space. The system interprets the position and movement of the hand, allowing direct interaction with digital content floating in the user’s view.
Apple Builds Tools for Smarter Gesture Recognition
A second patent, filed alongside the first, introduces correction modes for hand tracking. It ensures better accuracy by adjusting input based on how close the user’s hand is to the virtual content. If the hand is within a certain threshold, the system corrects the position for more reliable control. If not, it logs the raw gesture without correction.
This hand-tracking data supports applications like drawing, browsing, or virtual object manipulation. It could also reduce errors in augmented reality tasks by improving input precision.
According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Apple filed these applications under numbers 20250199623 and 20250199620. Eugene Krivoruchko, Apple’s Human Interface Designer for Spatial Input, is named as the lead inventor.