Following hot on the heels of the Wii’s motion capture technology, Microsoft are hoping to take this one better with Xbox 360 Project Natal. Announced during 2009′s E3 meeting, this optional hardware for the Xbox 360 is said to permit completely controller-free play with games, sensing movement and interpreting that as controls in the software.

Xbox 360 Project Natal is claimed to be available round the Q4 of 2010, and Microsoft hope that the machine will become a vital part of all existing Xbox consoles. They also say this revolutionary technology will lengthen the shelf-life of the 360 considerably, and is, for all intents and purposes, a next-gen piece of hardware.

The hardware includes a depth array joined with an RGB camera, which allows the Xbox 360 Project Natal a 360 degree arc of interpretation. The recognition is so cutting edge that even tiny facial nuances can get retained and displayed on-screen. The depth of recognition may also be extended or reduced as the player wishes, with the chance of registering surrounding objects like tables or cupboards.

Along with movement, the Xbox 360 Project Natal also boasts the facility to translate audio. The multi-array microphone within can be used to register audio and relay voice recognition on screen. These elements combine to offer total interactivity between player and game.

As the technology used to make both Natal and the titles it will interact with is reasonably unique, Microsoft have stated that existing Xbox 360 titles probably will not support the hardware, and that a fresh range of titles are currently in progress. Various tech demos demonstrated at E3 saw Space Invaders Extreme and Paint Party, a title in which sacks of paint are controlled by the player to paint canvasses.

Time will tell as to whether theXbox 360 Project Natal will cause the impact Microsoft are hoping for. While the technology is clearly revolutionary and set to beat even the Wii’s signature card, Microsoft need to announce more engaging titles to gain increased customer interest. With the right titles joined with it, theXbox 360 Project Natal could really be the future of gaming!