The PlayStation Move can be more than a simple game peripheral, and soon Sony will release the tools necessary to unlock its potential. The company has just announced Move.me, tools that allow you to develop applications for the PlayStation Move.

"So, what exactly is Move.Me? In short, Move.Me is a server application that runs on the PS3 system. It allows anyone with a PS3 to experiment with motion controls and is officially sanctioned and supported by Sony Computer Entertainment," John McCutchan, senior engineer with SCEA’s Developer Support team, wrote on Sony's official blog. "Move.Me sends the complete state of the PlayStation Move and navigation controllers to the PC, giving you the exact same data that licensed developers typically have access to."

The software will be available for download via the PlayStation Network this spring, but you can also apply for early access if you'd like to get started on your project ahead of time. What sort of things can the hardware be used for? Sony has a few ideas:

Games and tools that support kids' physical fitness and nutrition.

Kid-friendly programming interfaces for computer/technology classes or individual learning.

Physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Sports physiology or fitness training.

Music and the creative arts.

"For a long time I've mentioned in my talks that we'd like to let more people innovate with Move," Sony's Dr. Richard Marks told Ars during DICE. "I would really like to see it happen, so all the really creative minds in the labs and the hobbyists can actually play around with it." It looks like he got his wish.