New Xbox 360 hands-free control system announced at E3 plus Academy of Champions Wii screens
E3, the world's largest videogames show has so far been full of surprises; and few much bigger than the news that Microsoft is set to introduce a new hands free control system that captures all the motions of your body, in addition to voice interaction and facial recognition.
"Today with cultural visionaries at our side and controller-free gaming on our horizon, Xbox 360 authored a new page in home entertainment history," said Don Mattrick, senior vice president for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "For us, this E3 is about breaking down barriers - between generations, between games and entertainment, and most important, between video game players and everyone else - in a way that only Xbox 360 can."
Compatible with any Xbox 360 system, the "Project Natal" sensor is the world's first to combine an RGB camera, depth sensor, multi-array microphone and custom processor running proprietary software all in one device. Unlike 2-D cameras and controllers, "Project Natal" tracks your full body movement in 3-D, while responding to commands, directions and even a shift of emotion in your voice.
In addition, unlike other devices, the "Project Natal" sensor is not light-dependent. It can recognise you just by looking at your face, and it doesn't just react to key words but understands what you're saying. Call a play in a football game, and players will actually respond. Want to log onto Xbox Live? Simply step in front of the sensor. Kick a football, save a shot - from the demonstration video, all seems possible. We just wish the Microsoft press office would hurry up and release an official image so we could show you.
From cutting edge motion sensor technology to the tried and tested Wii kind. We've got some brand new screenshots of a new football mini game title called Academy of Champions. Players get to enrol in a soccer school run by Pele who then teaches all manner of soccer skills (including keep ups using a Balance Board). Other mini-games involving goalkeeping, shooting, passing and tackles are also included. How all this works without a virtual football leaves us scratching our heads in puzzlement. The game is rumoured to be released in Winter 09, so we won't have to wait too long to find out more.
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