奇速英语

Lego, the Danish toymaker, has unveiled its Smart Play system that introduces new electronic components to the classic plastic blocks. Lego says its new tech-enabled products, launching in March with a new Star Wars set, are its “most revolutionary innovation” in nearly 50 years.

Lego says its Smart Bricks can sense motion, position and distance, allowing the models to respond in various ways during play. Similarly adapted from existing Lego components, these possess digital identifiers triggering different sounds or reactions when they detect and interact with each other. For instance, when tried out, a Lego birthday cake recognised when its “candles” were blown out — sounding a cheer and a happy birthday song. Meanwhile, a Lego helicopter made whooshing sounds when moved or rotated, with its Smart Brick lighting up red upon crashing.

But Josh Golin, executive director of children’s wellbeing group Fairplay, believes Smart Bricks could “undermine what was once great about Legos” — stimulating children’s own imagination during play. He said the toy did not require extra features to generate sounds or other effects. “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 added.

Andrew Manches, professor of children and technology at the University of Edinburgh, agreed the beauty of Lego lay in “the freedom to create, re-create, and adapt simple blocks into endless stories powered by children’s imagination”. But he also welcomed Lego’s efforts to integrate physical and digital play with tools that react to the way children interact with its Smart Play products, yet he added that despite exciting innovation, concerns remain about the security and privacy of new and emerging smart toys for children — particularly those which integrate AI.

Julia Goldin, the company’s chief product and marketing officer, previously said it viewed digital technology as an opportunity to “expand physical play and physical building”. “We don’t look at the digital world as a threat,” she said — adding its smart range weaves interactivity “seamlessly” with its physical products.