LEGO has introduced one of its most significant innovations in recent decades – Smart Brick. No, it’s not just a brick with blinking lights. This small brick hides a lot of electronics – a microcontroller, NFC and Bluetooth connectivity, wireless charging, sensors, lights, and a speaker.
What is Smart Brick?
At first glance, it looks like a classic LEGO 2×4 piece, but beneath the plastic lies a hefty portion of technology:
- custom ASIC microcontroller (approximately 4.1 mm),
- sensors (e.g., accelerometer and light sensor),
- RGB LEDs,
- mini speaker,
- wireless connectivity (Bluetooth, NFC) and wireless charging.
The Core “Brain” Chip
Smart Brick uses a custom specialized ASIC chip, designed specifically for this system. The ASIC processes signals from the sensors, light or sound data, and manages interactions with other Smart Play elements.
Unfortunately, there is currently no way to find any data about it. Similarly for other sensors inside the brick… for now 🙂
Integrated Sensors and Components
Smart Brick is quite well-equipped for such a small form factor (a standard LEGO 2×4 brick):
- Accelerometer – detects movement, tilting, and orientation of the brick.
- Light / Color Sensor – allows recognition of ambient light or color, which helps with interaction with surrounding pieces.
- NFC – using the NFC reader, Smart Brick can detect other Smart Bricks and Smart Tags and their positions.
- Sound Sensor / Microphone – does not record sound as a recording, but serves as an input peripheral (e.g., responding to volume, clapping, or blowing).
Output Technologies
- Mini Speaker – Smart Brick produces sounds directly through the built-in transducer in combination with the acoustic properties of the brick.
- RGB LEDs – illuminate the brick and respond with various light effects according to the game situation.
Power and Wireless Functions
- Bluetooth / BrickNet – LEGO has implemented its own communication layer built on Bluetooth LE, allowing Smart Bricks to communicate with each other in a network called BrickNet, including sharing positions or game states.
- Integrated Rechargeable Battery – Smart Brick charges wirelessly through a special charger (a pad for 2 bricks).
The 2×4 brick can thus react to its surroundings – lighting up RGB LEDs, playing sounds from the speaker.
Smart Play Ecosystem: More Than Just a Brick
LEGO’s new Smart Play system is not built on just one smart brick. The platform includes:
- Smart Brick – the interactive core of the system,
- Smart Tags – small NFC tags that activate specific responses,
- Smart Minifigures – figures with NFC that Smart Brick recognizes and activates effects accordingly.
This allows your scene to be more lively — the brick emits engine sounds, lights flash as a spaceship passes, or characters react differently depending on where you place them.
Playing Without Screens
Although the interactive LEGO brick is full of electronics, the foundation remains “we play without screens.” The game does not shift to the screens of phones or tablets, but stays in the living room, children’s room, or on the table.
Technical Details
Unfortunately, it is currently not possible to find anything. The datasheet for the ASIC, the sensors used, the type of wireless charging, and so on.
The price for the interactive Smart Brick itself is not available anywhere; it is not for sale.
Smart Brick is currently sold in three possible sets:
- SMART Play™: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing™ for $89.99
- SMART Play™: Throne Room Duel & A-Wing™ for $159.99
- SMART Play™: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter™ for $69.99
Currently, an online pre-sale is underway, with actual sales in brick-and-mortar stores expected in March 2026.
According to information from the Czech LEGO representation, the sets will currently not be available in the Czech Republic. They will only be sold in selected markets such as the UK or Poland. Availability for other markets will depend on success.
The Story of SMART Play™ https://www.lego.com/cs-cz/smart-play/article/innovation
SMART Play™ https://www.lego.com/cs-cz/smart-play
SMART Play™ Sets https://www.lego.com/en-us/smart-play/all-sets
