The Wii Vitality Sensor debuted at the 2009 E3 gaming expo. Then it was too mellow for last year's and this year's E3. Why?

The Wii Vitality Sensor, which supposedly sensors your vitals, debuted at the 2009 E3 gaming expo. Then, it was too mellow for E3 in 2010. What about this year? Don't hold your breath!

You're slowly creeping along the darkened halls of a haunted mansion, waiting for the next zombie to come shambling around the corner. It's a familiar situation, and you're not afraid. Sensors convey this information to your game console, and suddenly an ear-piercing shriek fills the air behind you. Your heartbeat elevates, your fingertips sweat.

At the 2009 E3 gaming expo in Los Angeles, Nintendo revealed the Wii Vitality Sensor for the first time. The peripheral was M.I.A. at the following E3. And at a recent investors meeting, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata didn't explicitly provide an update.

A patent application filed by Nintendo mentions a Wii Vitality Sensor game in which players control the flight of a cartoon character with a combination of Wii remote gestures and - wait for it - breathing.

Missing in action. Conspicuous by their absence. The elephants not in the room. E3 delivered a cornucopia of news about new games, devices and concepts, but there were plenty of no-shows, too. These are the Glaring Omissions of E3 2010.

The Wii Vitality Sensor, unveiled by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata a year ago is a no-show at E3 2010, despite signals it would be here. A Nintendo spokesperson told Kotaku today that the peripheral wasn't right for the show.

Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto may be toying with new ways to shake up The Legend of Zelda, adding more than just Wii MotionPlus support for the next adventure of Link. Is he also considering Wii Vitality Sensor-based gameplay?

While both Sony and Microsoft are focusing on their own forms of motion gaming this year, Nintendo plans to continue their efforts to change the way we play games.

The Wii Vitality Sensor may be put to good use with a product known as Wii Relax, which Nintendo registered a trademark for in Europe late last year. It has since done the same in these United States.

In April, an Italian company announced "Wii Relax." Siliconera notes that, not only is that company's product site gone, Nintendo has now trademarked "WiiRelax" in Europe. Maybe they muscled in on the name after seeing I had shrewdly registered "WiiSittingOnOne'sAss."

You've had your laughs at the Wii Vitality Sensor, at least in part thanks to Nintendo's utter inability to explain what the thing is actually for. Well, during a Q&A with analysts, Nintendo's Satoru Iwata has shed a little light.

Nintendo's announcement of the Wii Vitality Sensor at E3 was met with some amount of befuddlement and a heap of "WTF?" But Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aime says, eventually, you will say "Wow, I get it."

Nintendo's announcement of the Wii Vitality Sensor was one of the most mystifying product announcements at the show. We asked for more information.

When Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata took to the stage last week to unveil the Wii Vitality Sensor, he didn't really tell us how it all worked. No, that information now comes a week later.

The Wii Vitality Sensor tracks a players pulse while playing. A novel Nintendo idea — or is it?

Nintendo announced today that it was adding the Wii Vitality Sensor to the list of things one can attach to the Wii Remote. Nintendo's official announcement claims it will expand the appeal of video games.