LEGO is about to get a whole lot smarter. The famous toy firm has just announced a high-tech upgrade at the CES show in Las Vegas, bringing some clever features to its brick-based sets. The brains behind the upgrade is LEGO’s new SMART Brick, which actually features a tiny PC-style processor inside its plastic shell. Once paired with a new LEGO SMART Tag and LEGO SMART Minifigure, the set will then come to life through both digital and physical play.
This new “SMART Play” platform features more than twenty patented world-firsts and has been developed by the LEGO Group’s Creative Play Lab team. The idea behind the system is to allow LEGO fans to build and create sets that then become far more interactive and fun.
Thanks to a bunch of sensors and accelerometers inside the SMART Brick – along with a speaker and lights – these new toys can respond to actions with appropriate sounds and behaviours, allowing for more responsive play.
There’s also no need to link things to a smartphone or tablet, as LEGO wants this to be a standalone experience. The SMART Brick can also be charged and doesn’t require batteries.
LEGO Star Wars will be the first sets to feature this clever technology with all including sound effects along with other interactive upgrades.
For example, the upcoming Red Five X-Wing building set includes an Imperial turret, transporter and command centre, all of which unlock interactive features, such as laser-shooting sounds, engine sounds and lights, plus refuelling and repair sounds.
Other sets coming soon include Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter and the Throne Room Duel & A-Wing.
They will go on sale from March 1 with prices starting from under £60.
Speaking about the update, Julia Goldin, Chief Product & Marketing Officer of the LEGO Group, said: “For over 90 years, the LEGO Group has sparked imagination and creativity in children around the globe.
“As the world evolves, so do we— innovating to meet the play needs of each new generation. LEGO SMART Play is the next exciting chapter in our LEGO System in Play and something we are super excited about being able to bring to the world at this scale.”
And Tom Donaldson, Senior Vice President & Head of Creative Play Lab at the LEGO Group, added: “The launch of LEGO SMART Play brings creativity, technology, and storytelling together to make building worlds and stories even more engaging, and all without a screen.
“We truly believe we are setting a new standard for interactive, imaginative experiences and can’t wait to see this innovation in the hands of kids when we launch this year.”
