A sensor will replace the need for game controllers when playing on the Project Natal system.

Microsoft has announced that its revolutionary controller-free system Project Natal (pronounced “nuh-tall”) for the Xbox 360 will be available to buy in the US from November this year.

Robbie Bach, President of Entertainment and Devices at Microsoft, gave the update in the company’s keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas yesterday (7 January).

The system, first revealed at the E3 video games conference in June 2009, allows users to play games controlled by body movements and speech rather than a handheld device.

Natal’s body gesturing system relies on 3D cameras, sensors, microphones and software to understand voice commands and capture the motions of a player as they jump, kick or wave.  It follows on from the Nintendo Wii, which uses motion-sensitive controllers and has seen great success since its launch. Project Natal, however, does away with the need for any hand-held device altogether.

Mr Bach said: “With Project Natal we are allowing you to have the experience you want with technology that’s natural for you. We are removing the last barrier to gaming - the controller.”

Natal will work on all existing Xbox 360 consoles, but is also hoped to attract new consumers to video gaming – particularly those of an older generation.

So how exactly does it work? It has an RGB camera which delivers the three basic color components, and helps enable facial recognition and more. The depth sensor comprises an infrared projector combined with a monochrome CMOS sensor, allowing the software to see the room in 3-D (as opposed to inferring the room from a 2-D image) under any lighting conditions.

A multiarray microphone will be able to locate voices by sound and extract ambient noise – and enable headset-free Xbox LIVE party chat and more. Finally, the Microsoft proprietary software layer differentiates Project Natal from any other technology on the market through its ability to enable human body recognition and extract other visual noise.

Leading industry publishers are now working on games for Project Natal, including Activision Blizzard, Bethesda Softworks, CAPCOM, Disney Interactive, Electronic Arts, Konami, MTV Games, Namco Bandai, Sega, Square Enix, THQ Inc. and Ubisoft.

Having received development kits from Microsoft in early June, these publishers together account for more than 70% of third-party software sales for this generation of console and most of the world’s most recognized video game franchises.

At a Tokyo conference in September, Keiji Inafune, Managing Corporate Officer and Head of Research & Development Management Group at CAPCOM, said:  “I strongly feel that Project Natal will expand the possibilities of gaming. It’s yet another component that adds to the appeal of Xbox 360 and demonstrates to users the broad level of entertainment it provides.

“Personally, I too am extremely excited about Project Natal. It’s really going to stir up our creative spirits. I think it’s going to bring new ways to play and new surprises to Xbox 360 fans and help further the development of completely original content. Project Natal is definitely something people should look out for.”

For more information on Project Natal or the Microsoft Xbox 360, click here. ^[1]