Xbox 360 joins Wii with motion sensor

At the E3 event in Los Angeles yesterday, Microsoft announced a new accessory for its Xbox 360 console, a 3D motion sensor which will eventually replace the traditional trackpad.

In fact, the system is based on a small camera which will track your movements, making you the controller.  The system, code-named Project natal, will also include a voice recognition system.

The first live demo of the new feature worked well, and included a tennis game where the user had to bounce balls back across the net.  Another demo showed off a game called Paint Party where the user can draw on a canvas on the screen.

Other updates include the ability to connect directly with popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.