At E3 this week Nintendo announced a new MotionPlus accessory that promises much more fluid motion recognition by the Wii console. InvenSense announced today that its IDG-600 multi-axis MEMS rate gyroscope is the brains behind the MotionPlus controller.

InvenSense says that the IDG-600 has started shipping to Nintendo in mass quantities for the production of the accessory. InvenSense says that conventional MEMS gyroscopes are larger size, use lots of power and cost a lot. Its new silicon based MEMS gyroscopes are smaller, low cost and need less power. All requirements for a gaming accessory attached to the Wii remote running off AA batteries.

"The popularity of Wii in large part is based on its popular motion sensing interface and InvenSense's MEMS rate gyroscope represents a truly disruptive technology that possesses inherent manufacturing and high performance advantages that drives the need for a new generation of Wii Remote," said Genyo Takeda, General Manager of Nintendo's Integrated Research and Development Division. "Nintendo selected the IDG-600 for its ability to measure large dynamic motions, high shock resistance, and accuracy for sensing the fast moving arm and hand motions required to support exciting new game titles."

Via Invensense