Smart Brick, Artificial Intelligence enters Lego bricks

Read the portal connectivity artificial intelligence inside its bricks, becoming one of the protagonists of the 2026 edition of CES in Las Vegas. In the next few months it will debut on the market Smart Brick‘, a classic 2×4 brick capable of reacting to how it is handled and interacting with the construction in progress. It is the centerpiece of a new initiative called ‘Smart Play‘ which marks a real change of pace for the Danish company. Until now, in fact, the experiments had mainly concerned apps and accessories, rather than “intelligent” elements integrated into the construction system.

The Smart Brick houses a4.1mm ASIC chipsmaller than a normal stud (the little button on top of the brick), which runs integrated control software capable of detectingmovement, orientation e magnetic fields. Thanks also to copper coils, it can measure the distance, direction and orientation of other nearby Smart Bricks while assembling the set which also integrates amicro speakerun accelerometerand an LED matrix.

Real-time functionality and interaction

Lego claims, in the product presentation, that sounds are generated based on game actionsreal timeand are not simple pre-recorded clips. An example? At the fair it was possible to observe how aLego birthday cakewas able to recognize when his “candles” were blown out by emitting aapplauseand a happy birthday song.

BrickNet: the local network without internet

To connect the system, Lego also introducesBrickNeta local area network based onBluetoothand on a proprietary method of position measurement (“Neighbor Position Measurement”) which allows the bricks to understand how close they are and how they are oriented, with the aim of making theminteract without apps, without the Internetand without external controllers.

Wireless power and the launch of Star Wars sets

The issue of power remains: the company claims that thebatterymaintain adequate performance even after years of useinactivityand that charging occurs in modewirelesson a common base capable of powering multiple bricks together. The commercial launch will start with threeset Star Warssmall in size and aimed at younger people. The technological component also enters into theminifigureand in the scenes. There is no shortage of testimonies that tell howDarth Vadercan “sing” on stage, howChewbaccamakes muttering noises when caressed and like duels betweenLuke Skywalkerand his enemies are accompanied by lights and sound effects. Pre-orders open January 9th and release is set for March 1st.

Tom Donaldson’s vision for the Creative Play Lab

Tom Donaldson, a capo del Creative Play Lab di Legoexplains that the technology was designed to react to children’s actions and fit into their natural way of playing. According to Donaldson, the Smart Brick’s responses “should, ideally, inspire and surprise the user” so as to entice them to continue the experience. “We’re building a platform that we want to last for many years.”