philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

Lego unveils tech-filled Smart Bricks – to play experts’ dismay

Lego has unveiled Smart Bricks - tech-filled versions of its small building blocks - which it says will bring sets to life with sound, light and reaction to movement.

However, the new product range is causing unease among play experts, who say it risks undermining what makes Lego special for children in an increasingly digital world. ...

But Josh Golin, executive director of children's wellbeing group Fairplay, believes Smart Bricks "undermine what was once great about Legos" - harnessing children's own imagination during play.

"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," he told the BBC. ...

Lego says its Smart Bricks can sense motion, position and distance, allowing the models to respond in various ways during play.

Measuring 2x4, the brick itself contains sensors, lights, a small sound synthesiser, an accelerometer and a custom-made silicon chip enabling it to detect movement and react to it.

But it is designed to be used with Smart Minifigures and Smart Tags tiles - two additional products making up Lego's Smart Play System. ...

See the full story here: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crmlnmnwzk2o