Rumored Xbox 360 Add-On to Allow Full Body Motion Control

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Rumored Xbox 360 Add-On to Allow Full Body Motion Control

Since the introduction of the Nintendo Wii and its continuously phenomenal financial success, rumors of similarly motion-controlled add-ons for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 have repeatedly found their ways online. The latest news, coming from a tipster supposedly in the know, says that Microsoft will enter the motion arena not with a remote-like device such as that found on the Wii, but with a sensor bar that can detect full body movements as well as sound. This sensor bar is said to allow for broad movements, like kicking and punching, to more minuscule hand gestures, including pinching, scrolling, and grabbing. Video-conferencing capabilities are also said to be available, using the sensor bar's included camera.

Ironically, many of these rumored features, as forward-thinking as they sound, are quite old in concept. Sony actually implemented many of them with its EyeToy camera on the PlayStation 2, and refined them slightly for the PlayStation 3 with the PlayStation Eye. Fully-body detection with onscreen interaction, a camera for conferencing, and a built-in microphone are standard features with the EyeToy. What Sony's past venture lacks, though, is overall precision (particularly in uneven lighting situations) and compelling software. If Microsoft is able to dial the accuracy to Wii-like levels, and avoid producing simple novelty software, it might just have a chance at chipping away at Nintendo's market share. Head on over to Engadget for the full details.