[2] The basic concept behind Buchla Lightning (1, 2 and 3) is that you program the unit to assign certain MIDI events/messages to wand gestures.
By analyzing location information in real-time, the Lightning can determine acceleration and direction changes and turn these gestures into MIDI notes with velocity sensitivity.
The Buchla Lightning II was a vast improvement on the first in technical terms (how the wands were made) and diversity (how they can be used).
[2] The original Lightning housed the electronics and optics in the same box, requiring that the box be mounted on a stand while the Lightning II remotes the optics, and houses the electronics in a separate half rack cabinet.
Lightning II exhibits substantially increased operating range, through improvements in electronics, optics, and wand design.