In the not too distant future we won’t so much physically play video games as allow them to scan our brainwaves to detect our intentions. Or maybe it’ll be some kind of game-pill, or... Anyway, until that day arrives (and it will) motion-sensing peripherals are what it’s all about, and it looks like Microsoft will soon be joining the party.

Endgadget.com has the proof, of sorts, with a tipster-supplied picture of what appears to be a 360-coloured but Wii-styled sensor bar sitting beneath the obligatory big telly. However, the information supplied claims that this will be a more sophisticated than Nintendo’s own effort, with a camera and microphone built into the unit. By all accounts it is able to detect a full range of body movements too, and, crucially, without the need for a separate controller. Here’s a quick breakdown of the (potential) capabilities:

- Players kick, punch, jump etc to control games.
- Unit is able to detect smaller hand gestures – pinching, grabbing and so on.
- Live video conferencing in games that support the feature.
- Handclaps are used instead of buzzers for multiplayer quiz games. Onboard camera detects contestants’ faces.
- Move on-screen objects and other online players see it happen in real-time.
- Sensor can zone out background pattern/movement to focus on active player only.

Of course all of the above could be the work of some merry prankster with too much time on his hands – the picture supplied does look like it comes from somebody’s front room rather than a top-secret research and development suite. Then again it’s not exactly outside the bounds of possibility either, is it? Nintendo has romped away with the lion’s share of the market this generation thanks to the Wii’s user-friendly interface. If other reports are correct Sony is apparently developing its own motion-sensing peripheral too. And then there’s MS honcho Don Mattrick, telling journalists "Microsoft is gearing up for a big presence at E3 which will completely transform how people think about home entertainment."

So maybe, just maybe, this is what Mr. Mattrick is talking about. We only have a month or so left before we find out one way or another...