@verge Lego's Smart Brick is smarter than we thought. At CES 2026, we saw how these tiny computers — filled with tech, including NFC, mesh networking, and wireless charging — can unlock all kinds of proximity-based play. They'll ship first in three Lego Star Wars sets on March 1st, but the company clearly has more ideas... #lego #ces #ces2026 #tech #techtok ♬ original sound - The Verge

🏗️ Where Bricks Learn to Feel

Ed Sheeran’s Lego House, with its gentle metaphor of rebuilding something fragile piece by piece, becomes an unexpectedly perfect echo to Lego’s new Smart Brick — a technological leap that reimagines how we build, connect, and play. Just as the song frames love as something you can patiently reconstruct, the Smart Brick marks Lego’s boldest reinvention in 50 years, turning simple blocks into intelligent companions that sense, respond, and evolve. The emotional architecture of the song mirrors the engineering ambition of the announcement: both remind us that even the smallest pieces, whether emotional or plastic, can be redesigned to create something stronger, smarter, and beautifully new.

🎶 🧱🤖🧸🎨💡🪀🚀🎮🌈🧩✨🐥🎈 🔊 Lego House - Ed Sheeran

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Lego’s new Smart Brick marks the company’s most dramatic leap forward in half a century, blending classic play with tiny, sensor‑packed computing.

This isn’t just a gadget upgrade — it’s a complete reimagining of what a Lego brick can become.

🤖 A Tiny Computer Hidden in a Classic Brick

The Smart Brick looks like a standard 2×4 block, but inside sits a miniature computer that can sense motion, orientation, magnetic fields, and nearby Smart Bricks. It also includes a speaker and LED array, letting builds react with sound and light as kids move, shake, or assemble them.

🛰️ A New Language Between Bricks

Lego created a wireless layer called BrickNet, allowing Smart Bricks to “talk” to each other without apps or internet. This means a spaceship can light up when a pilot minifigure approaches, or a tower can rumble when another brick snaps into place — all automatically.

🎮 Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures Bring Context

Each Smart Tag or Smart Minifigure carries a digital ID readable by the Smart Brick, telling it what role to play. A tag in an X‑Wing set, for example, instructs the brick to behave like an engine, cockpit, or droid port, turning physical builds into interactive storytelling machines.

🔋 Built for Years of Play, Not Screens

Lego emphasizes that Smart Bricks don’t rely on screens or apps — they’re wirelessly charged and designed to hold power even after years of inactivity. The goal is to keep the tactile magic of Lego intact while adding a layer of invisible intelligence.

🌌 Launching With Star Wars, Aiming Much Bigger

The first Smart Play sets arrive under the Star Wars banner, including an X‑Wing, TIE Fighter, and Throne Room Duel. But the technology is built to expand, hinting at a future where entire Lego worlds respond, glow, speak, and evolve as you build them.

#LegoSmartBrick 🧱 #TechInnovation 🤖 #FutureOfPlay 🎮 #STEMKids 🧠 #TheVergeTech 🌐