- Lego introduced the Smart Brick, a tech-packed 2×4 brick that adds lights, sound, and sensors to physical builds.
- The brick uses a tiny custom ASIC, LEDs, speaker, accelerometer, NFC, light sensor, near-field magnetic positioning, and inductive charging.
- Tagged minifigures and pieces trigger context-specific responses, and multiple bricks form an encrypted mesh via BrickNet for synchronized effects.
- The Smart Brick launches March 1 in premium Star Wars sets (preorders open Jan. 9) with prices from $69.99 to $159.99.
- Lego emphasizes privacy: no camera, no cloud, and a microphone that acts only as a virtual button; the company holds over 20 related patents.
Lego unveiled the Smart Brick at CES 2026 and described it in a company announcement linked in a press release. The system will reach stores March 1 with preorders opening Jan. 9 for initial Star Wars sets.
The Smart Brick embeds a custom ASIC smaller than a single stud. It powers LEDs, a speaker with synthesized sounds, an accelerometer, NFC, a light sensor, and near-field magnetic positioning. The brick wakes on interaction and charges wirelessly by induction, with no power button or required setup.
Tagged minifigures and accessories carry Smart Tags that trigger context-specific responses. For example, a Luke Skywalker figure near a lightsaber can produce hums and glowing effects, and tilting an X-Wing prompts engine and laser sounds. “This is where the fun begins!” noted a social post by Star Wars linked to their public tweet.
Multiple Smart Bricks use an encrypted Bluetooth-based protocol called BrickNet to form a mesh network for coordinated behavior. Lego says the embedded microphone functions only as a virtual button, and the bricks have no camera, no cloud connectivity, and no onboard AI processing.
Initial Star Wars releases include Luke’s Red Five X-Wing at $99.99, a TIE Fighter at $69.99, and a Throne Room Duel and A-Wing bundle at $159.99; sets are slightly smaller than standard minifig-scale models to limit price increases. Public reaction is mixed: some praise the blend of tactile play and tech, while critics on social platforms voiced concerns, including one X post calling it “the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen” and another saying it “just empties your wallet.” A content creator, PenPlays, wrote “I don’t need to hear about tech. I need to hear about why its fun. How a kid can enjoy play time. Where is that?”
Lego holds more than 20 patents for the Smart Brick system and plans to expand the technology beyond Star Wars, with possible themes including City and Technic. Additional context on the Star Wars partnership and onstage appearances is available via a report that noted Dave Filoni joined Lego onstage.
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