We can only hope that they are thinking of implementing this.

Ok, I don't think that kind of setup will work as well as Lee's head tracking system, but it does open up some interesting options. One thing is that with a setup like that, you can track the direction where you're looking, as long as the sonsor bar is within the sight of the IR camera of the wiimote. Tracking the distance from the screen is not possible reliably, though, as the player is bound to move around the sensor bar and thus, as in another demo by Lee, it would require 4 IR leds arranged in a tetrahedron to accurately track the distance (an, as a nice bonus, also the absolute position).

Still, I can see some nice applications for a system like that, mainly in first person games, but you could control the camera in 3rd person games as well. And, for FPS games it would actually be pretty immersive to change view modes, target tracking etc. from the wiimote in your goggles.

One thing to remember is that companies file thousands upon thousands of patents, but a mere fraction of them are ever put to use. They do it as part of their IPR strategy, either to protect their innovations, to blow a smokescreen over their true intentions, or to prevent competitors doing things they would not like. So, something might come from this, but it might just as well be an idle patent.

One of the things people seem to keep forgeting is that the IR camera is not needed for motion track. It is only needed pixel perfect acuracy. If you wanted to do true head tracking you would use the motion sensors for movement, and only use the IR as a referance to verify your position.

I hate to break it to you, but Nintendo can't patent head-tracking. They didn't develop the technology and it is already available in commercial products for the PC and as a proof-of-concept on the PS3 (and PS2).

Also, your suggestion that there are dozens of components laying dormant in the Wiimote is absolutely ridiculous. Don't you think that some people have taken apart their wiimotes to see what's inside? I can assure you that there are no hidden technologies waiting to "spring into action". On the plus side, if you were to purchase all the components in the wiimote individually at retail price, the cost would be comparable to the retail price of the wii itself. For the average Joe, the cheapest way of getting hold of accelorometers is to buy a wiimote and crack it open.

@ JHawkNH
I think you're confused about how the motion control on the wii works. You cannot use it for head-tracking as it only measures acceleration and direction of movement.

OT: That wiimote accessory has got to be a joke. The design is completely impractical and offers no benefits. The "does nothing" comment is presumably supposed to be the punchline.

DP.

Wow, that looks ridiculous. I love the idea but wouldn't it be easier doing it Johnny Lee-style with IR-on your head and Wii Remote in a stand by the tv?

Actually you are wrong.  The motion sensing is a better representation of actual head (and therfore body) movment then the IR camera.  I am at work right now so I can't write up a long artical about how this works, but I will post an explination during lunch in about 3 hours.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/storysupplement/wiiremote/index.htm

If you click on the above link you'll see it's an article where CNN have absolutley ridicoulsly taken apart a wiimote to see what's inside.

If you click on the lowest chip on the right hand side you'll see it's definition as an audio translator where it says this converts human speech into a Digital data stream and it's unused right now but will probably feature in future games

Your assurances mean very little to me 

With this setup you have both hands free, so you can use the classic controller (is the cord long enough?) and still point the IR somehow with the head xD

I think that was used as a means of translating the signals that where then emited through the speaker. When that came up, people started saying that the speaker could be used as a mic also.

Its the Wii whizzer! Can you hit the urinal?!?! Will you remember shaking it thrice afterwards?!?!?
Just kidding, maybe its one of those lightsabers?