While Sony has introduced motion sensing features in its Sixaxis wireless PS3 controller and Nintendo has obviously built its entire Wii console around the idea of motion-sensing gameplay, Microsoft has repeatedly stated that the feature (at least in its current form) is not compelling enough for the company to introduce some sort of motion-sensing peripheral for its Xbox 360.

While Microsoft may maintain that stance in this platform cycle, given the success of the Wii and more importantly comments recently made by Chairman Bill Gates, we wouldn't be surprised to hear that the next Xbox console was going to include motion-sensing functionality. According to a transcript published on AllThingsDigital (a technology site run by The Wall Street Journal), Gates squared off with his rival Apple CEO Steve Jobs to discuss all aspects of the future of computing.

When the two got to the topic of what's in store for user interfaces, Gates raised the notion of computers tracking motion. "Software is doing vision and so, you know, imagine a game machine where you're just going to pick up the bat and swing it or the tennis racket and swing it," he said.

Moderator Walt Mossberg, tech guru for WSJ, replied with the obvious answer that Nintendo is already doing that with the Wii. Gates continued, however, explaining that that's not what he means.

"No, that's not it. You can't pick up your tennis racket. And swing it," he said. "You can't sit there with your friends and do those natural things. That's a 3D positional device. This is video recognition."

So essentially, what Gates is talking about is a camera that can allow you to interact with the computer using everyday objects. Sony's EyeToy and the upcoming, more sophisticated PlayStation Eye aren't quite at that level, but if this is the direction Gates would like to see computer and gaming interaction go, then it would appear that Microsoft is a step behind Sony.

Perhaps the next iteration of the Xbox Live Vision camera will incorporate more of this sort of functionality.