Microsoft considering motion-sensing technology

Month after month, the Nintendo Wii motion-senses its way to the top of the hardware sales charts. If you're Microsoft, it must drive you mad.

And when Microsoft gets mad, they get spendy.

Israeli site Haaretz reports that Microsoft is considering purchasing tech startup 3DV Systems, who happen to be the creative force behind a cutting-edge, motion-sensing product called the ZCam, for $35 million.

According to the company's site, the ZCam employs 3D technology that senses motion far more accurately than the Wii. While motion-sensing camera tech isn't exactly brand new -- Microsoft already sells a gaming camera that detects motion, as does Sony -- the ZCam takes it a few futuristic steps further by actually sensing 3D depth, or the proximity of an object to the camera itself. The result lets users interact with on-screen objects without requiring any sort of traditional controller. In other words, you could play Wii Sports without worrying about hurling your remote through the TV screen because you wouldn't be holding anything in your hands.

Venturebeat lends further credence to the potential buyout by noting that 3DV's North Amercian general manager is Charles Bellfield, who previously worked with heavyweight gaming publishers Capcom and Sega. However, past rumors about Microsoft pursuing motion-sensing tech -- most recently in December of 2007 -- have yet to bear fruit.

The ZCam

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