The LEGO Group has introduced LEGO SMART Play, a platform that incorporates responsive digital technology into physical LEGO building without the use of screens. The system integrates electronic components into traditional bricks while remaining compatible with the existing LEGO System-in-Play, allowing new functionality to coexist with established building standards. LEGO states ‘LEGO SMART Play represents one of the most significant evolutions in the LEGO System-in-Play since the introduction of the LEGO Minifigure in 1978’.
At the core of the platform is the LEGO SMART Brick, a newly developed element that contains a custom-made chip smaller than a standard LEGO stud. The brick houses multiple embedded technologies, including motion sensors, accelerometers, light and sound detection, and a miniature speaker powered by an onboard synthesiser. These components allow LEGO builds to detect how they are handled, moved, or combined with other elements and to respond with corresponding sounds and behaviours. The SMART Brick also supports wireless charging, enabling repeated use without the need for removable batteries.
The LEGO SMART Brick operates in conjunction with LEGO SMART Tags and LEGO SMART Minifigures, which are designed to extend interactivity across a build. When combined, these elements enable real-time responses to physical play actions, such as triggering audio effects or changing behaviours based on how characters and structures are positioned or moved. According to the company, the technology is embedded invisibly within the bricks to preserve traditional building aesthetics and open-ended play. The platform was presented during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas .
