What might be construed (if you were conspiracy-minded) as a pre-emptive strike at Microsoft’s Project Natal, Siliconera reports Sony’s gone ahead and patented a new Eye Toy technology to use any everyday object as a controller. This was one of those things gamers had expected Natal to introduce into the gaming fray with its stereoscopic set of cameras. Describing the technology, Siliconera describes it as “a system where a camera can dynamically map an object — any real world object — for use in a video game.”

Personally, I think this is just Sony covering ground in case gamers like what they see with Natal. It’s not like Sony is using the same camera technology or software, so obviously Microsoft has nothing to worry about if someone wants to use a claymore to play Tiger Woods on the 360 (er, not that I was thinking of doing that. Nor do I entertain such a notion). Now everyone (except Wii owners it seems) can enjoy swinging around random objects in front of their televisions.

It’s like we’re in the freaking holodeck! Well, the poor man’s holodeck. With no holo-ing. Or deck.