Following hot on the heels of the Wii’s motion capture technology, Microsoft are expecting to trump this one better with Xbox 360 Project Natal. Announced during 2009’s E3 meeting, this add-on accessory for the Xbox 360 is said to allow completely controller-free play with games, sensing movement and translating that as controls in the game.

Xbox 360 Project Natal is claimed to be available around the Q4 of 2010, and Microsoft hope that the hardware will become an essential component of all existing Xbox machines. They also state that this revolutionary technology will stretch the lifespan of the 360 considerably, and is, for all intents and purposes, a next-gen piece of hardware.

The accessory has a depth array joined with an RGB camera, which allows the Xbox 360 Project Natal a 360 degree range of interpretation. The sensing is so accurate that even minute facial expressions can get recognised and displayed on-screen. The range of recognition may also be extended or shortened as the player sees fit, with the possibility of registering surrounding objects like tables or cabinets.

Along with movement, the Xbox 360 Project Natal also boasts the facility to interpret sound. The multi-array microphone within can be employed to recognise sound and relay vocal recognition on the television. These elements combine to provide complete interactivity between player and videogame.

As the technology employed to create both Natal and the games it will engage with is reasonably unique, Microsoft have stated that existing Xbox 360 games likely won’t support Natal, and that a new range of games are currently underway. Some technical demos shown at E3 saw Space Invaders Extreme and Paint Party, a game in which pots of paint are manipulated by the player to paint objects.

Time will tell as to whether theXbox 360 Project Natal will have the impact Microsoft are wanting. While the specs are cutting edge and due to beat even the Wii’s calling card, Microsoft need to announce more engaging titles to gain increased consumer interest. With the right games joined with it, theXbox 360 Project Natal might truly be the way forward for videogaming!