A method for sensing the orientation of an object when the object is positioned or moved relative to a surface, the method comprising the steps of providing a surface having coded data disposed thereon, sensing at least some of the coded data while the object is used to interact with the surface, processing at least some of the sensed coded data to generate orientation data indicative of the three dimensions of a rotational orientation of the object relative to the surface and transmitting the generated orientation data to a computer system.