Lego Unveils Smart Brick, Integrating Advanced Technology into Play

Lego unveiled its technology-packed Smart Brick at CES 2026, introducing a new era of connected play. This standard-sized 2 x 4 brick features a speaker, LED lights, and a tiny chip, enabling sets to respond to user interaction and construction.

Credit: LEGO

The Smart Brick is part of the new "Smart Play" initiative, which also includes Smart Minifigures and Smart Tags. This development represents Lego's most significant move to integrate connected technology into its products.

Inside the Smart Brick is a 4.1 mm ASIC chip, which Lego states is smaller than a standard Lego stud. This chip runs a "Play Engine" that senses motion, orientation, and magnetic fields.

Integrated copper coils allow the brick to detect the distance, direction, and orientation of nearby Smart Bricks during building. The brick also contains a built-in speaker, an accelerometer, and an LED array.

Lego confirmed the speaker produces audio "tied to live play actions," rather than just playing pre-recorded clips, enhancing interactive experiences. This ensures sounds are dynamically linked to ongoing play.

Smart Tags are 2 x 2 studless tiles with an embedded digital ID, readable by the Smart Brick via "near-field magnetic communication," which resembles NFC. Smart Minifigures also contain a digital ID readable by this NFC-like technology.

The Smart Tag's purpose is to provide context to the Smart Brick. Lego explained, "The role of the Smart Tag is to tell the Smart Brick how it should play back with you."

This allows the Tag to instruct the Brick on what type of object, animal, or vehicle it should represent. For example, a Smart Tag within a Lego Star Wars X-Wing set will carry a unique ID and instructions for the Smart Brick's behaviour.

Connecting these components is BrickNet, a local wireless layer built on Bluetooth. It utilises Lego’s proprietary "Neighbor Position Measurement" system, which allows Smart Bricks to determine proximity and orientation.

Lego stated that BrickNet enables bricks to "talk" directly to each other without needing apps, internet connections, or external controls. This design aims for a setup-free experience, similar to traditional Lego sets, facilitating seamless interaction among Smart Bricks, Smart Minifigures, and Smart Tags.

These Smart bricks require power, with batteries designed to perform even after years of inactivity. The coils and power system enable multiple bricks to be charged wirelessly on a shared charging pad.

Credit: LEGO

The Smart Play system will launch with three "all-in-one" Star Wars sets. These smaller sets are targeted towards children, rather than adult collectors.

The "Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter" set, with 473 pieces, includes one Smart Darth Vader Minifigure, one Smart Brick, and one Smart Tag, priced at USD 70.

The "Luke’s Red Five X-Wing" set features 584 pieces, two Smart Minifigures, one Smart Brick, and five Smart Tags, costing USD 100. The largest set, "Throne Room Duel & A-wing," contains 962 pieces, three Smart Minifigures, two Smart Bricks, and five Smart Tags, priced at USD 160.

Pre-orders for these sets began Jan. 9, with the official launch scheduled for March 1. Lego is expected to have sets available at CES for closer inspection of the Smart Play system.

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• Lego introduced its Smart Brick and "Smart Play" initiative at CES 2026.

• The Smart Brick integrates a speaker, LED lights, and a 4.1 mm ASIC chip for interactive play.

• Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures provide context for the Smart Brick via near-field magnetic communication.

Source: ENGADGET