This Iconic Toy Brand is Getting Smarter
Many generations of children have played with LEGO bricks. From basic building bricks to elaborate kits, children have allowed their imaginations to soar. The Danish company that was founded in 1932 says it all in its name. LEGO, according to the company, is an abbreviation of the words leg godt which means play well.
The 94-year-old company is now making its bricks smarter, according to a LEGO press release. This new way of playing well is an interactive platform called SMART Play that will change the LEGO experience by allowing advanced technology without screens.
“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,” Tom Donaldson, senior vice president & head of creative play lab at the LEGO Group, said in the press release ”
What is SMART Play?
The new play platform features the LEGO SMART Brick that is powered by a custom-made chip that allows physical play by incorporating sensors, accelerometers, and a miniature speaker. These come together to respond to actions with sounds and behaviors. The bricks are charged on a wireless pad; no batteries are needed.
You can even form a Bluetooth mesh network by using two or more smart bricks, reported The Verge. This allows Lego cars to race, and the bricks will detect which car has won or if a car has crashed with appropriate actions. The bricks are designed to work with Smart Minifigures and Smart Tiles.
The first kits that use the smart bricks will be LEGO Star Wars and they will be shipped on March 1, 2026. While the next kits have not been named yet, there will be more to come.
Mixed Reactions
LEGO SMART Play has received mixed reactions, reported The BBC. While the company believes that new high tech is a revolutionary innovation that will complement how children play. Others are skeptical that this is not undermining what made LEGOs so special for all these years – harnessing children’s imaginations.
“As anyone who has ever watched a child play with old-school LEGOs knows, children’s LEGO creations already do move and make noises through the power of children’s imaginations,” Josh Golin, executive director of children’s wellbeing group Fairplay, told the BBC.
The company’s chief product and marketing officer Julia Goldin told BBC that LEGO sees digital technology as a way to expand physical play. “We don’t look at the digital world as a threat,” she said.
Whether parents choose to stick to classic LEGOs, elaborate kits, or the new SMART Play systems, LEGO will still be a big part of playing well and letting imaginations soar for so many countless children around the world.
