Today, Microsoft announced their newest initiative in video games, Project Natal. This project eliminates the need for controllers all together when gaming and instead uses Gesture Based input to interact with games. You’re saying, hasn’t Nintendo already done that with the Wii? Well, sort of! Microsoft’s product doesn’t require you to hold a control in your hand to see what you’re doing.  It uses a new piece of equipment to actually watch your BODY and determines what you are doing using that input.

Besides knowing your moves, Project Natal also features Face Recognition so it’s possible to walk in front of the Project Natal device and have it know who you are without you doing anything. It also has voice input so you can start games, and give other commands by just speaking.

There aren’t a lot of details out on the hardware itself yet, but Microsoft has revealed that it will use an RGB camera, Depth Sensor, Multi-Array Microphone, and a custom processor.  According to the reveal today at E3, the device itself is a box around 5 inches wide, 3 inches high and 3 inches deep which you sit on your entertainment center… similar to the Wii sensor.

The movie above gives a complete overview of the device and shows you how well it should work! This technology enthusiast however believes nothing until I see it for myself.  When something seems too good to be true, it normally is! Microsoft was not ready to talk about release dates yet so there is still a chance that this will be vaporware anyway! We’ll have more details as they become available so check back often!