LEGO's Revolutionary 'Smart Brick' Brings Toys to Life with Sight, Sound, and Feeling.
In a groundbreaking move that marks the largest innovation in its 50-year history, the beloved toy giant LEGO has unveiled the "SMART Brick," a small yet incredibly powerful device embedded within one of its iconic plastic bricks. This tiny marvel can now recognize distance, color, motion, and even interpret the unique personalities of thousands of LEGO minifigures.
At the center of LEGO's new "SMART Play" system, which promises to revolutionize physical play with an interactive and immersive experience, the SMART Brick works in tandem with its own line of 'SMART' tags and figures. Equipped with a built-in accelerometer that tracks movement and acceleration, the brick responds by changing color and sound effects in real-time.
During demonstrations at CES, senior vice president Tom Donaldson showcased the SMART Brick's capabilities, moving it across different colored panels, which responded with corresponding light patterns. In another demonstration, a LEGO yellow duck was attached to a SMART Brick, allowing users to test its responses as it simulated various emotions – from contentment to irritation.
The innovative system enables toys and bricks to seamlessly interact with their surroundings, responding to actions with an 'appropriate sounds and behaviors.' When placed near or on top of a SMART Tag, the brick instantly assumes its assigned role. The clever use of digital tags and figures also allows minifigures to react uniquely to their environments through distinct sounds, moods, and behaviors.
Set to officially launch on March 1, pre-orders for an all-in-one LEGO Star Wars SMART Play set began on January 9.
In a groundbreaking move that marks the largest innovation in its 50-year history, the beloved toy giant LEGO has unveiled the "SMART Brick," a small yet incredibly powerful device embedded within one of its iconic plastic bricks. This tiny marvel can now recognize distance, color, motion, and even interpret the unique personalities of thousands of LEGO minifigures.
At the center of LEGO's new "SMART Play" system, which promises to revolutionize physical play with an interactive and immersive experience, the SMART Brick works in tandem with its own line of 'SMART' tags and figures. Equipped with a built-in accelerometer that tracks movement and acceleration, the brick responds by changing color and sound effects in real-time.
During demonstrations at CES, senior vice president Tom Donaldson showcased the SMART Brick's capabilities, moving it across different colored panels, which responded with corresponding light patterns. In another demonstration, a LEGO yellow duck was attached to a SMART Brick, allowing users to test its responses as it simulated various emotions – from contentment to irritation.
The innovative system enables toys and bricks to seamlessly interact with their surroundings, responding to actions with an 'appropriate sounds and behaviors.' When placed near or on top of a SMART Tag, the brick instantly assumes its assigned role. The clever use of digital tags and figures also allows minifigures to react uniquely to their environments through distinct sounds, moods, and behaviors.
Set to officially launch on March 1, pre-orders for an all-in-one LEGO Star Wars SMART Play set began on January 9.