The Smart Brick uses various light and sound sensors, including accelerometers for detecting orientation when the pieces are moved about, as well as a miniature speaker for sound.

The ‘smart tags’ tell the Smart Brick what it should do, providing appropriate light or sound, with multiple Smart Bricks interacting during play. The tags communicate with the brick or Smart Minifigure using similar technology to contactless payments on your smartphone. 

For example, the new Lego Star Wars sets are designed for one-on-one battles, with lightsaber sound effects (sadly, the saber blades don’t light up), starfighter engines roaring to life and laser cannons firing. Parents will be pleased to hear that the Smart Brick sounds aren’t too loud, nor too grating.

During my demo session, I built a helicopter out of regular Lego bricks. I placed the Smart Brick on top of a special tile with a helicopter logo. The Smart Brick then ‘knew’ that I had built a helicopter and it reacted to my actions during play. The rotor blade sounds whirred during simulated flight, corresponding with my movements, the engines sputtered when flying upside down and the brick flashed red when I made the helicopter crash.