The initial Lego Smart Brick collections, modeled on *Star Wars*, did not quite meet my children’s and my expectations, a disappointment I largely attribute to their programming. However, these Smart Bricks might also suffer from certain technical limitations right from the start. Several sensors are not activated in the first sets delivered, including the audio-detecting microphone, the ambient light sensor, precise distance measurement, positioning, and orientation functionalities.
During a recent live broadcast, Elysha Zaide, a sound designer for Lego Smart Brick, clarified that “additional sensors will be unlocked with subsequent products,” specifically mentioning ambient light, position, and orientation as features unavailable initially. It is conceivable that these functionalities will necessitate a software update for activation: the Lego Smart Brick application indicates that the brick’s integrated microphone is presently inactive and will require an update should its status change.
Nonetheless, the Smart Bricks do incorporate other operational sensors. My tests revealed that the NFC reader can detect nearby Smart Tiles through up to seven Lego plates (approximately 22mm), and nearly every interaction relies on motion detection. The color sensor identifies red, green, and blue objects when they are held close to the side of the Smart Brick while its LED is flashing. Furthermore, there’s a basic multi-brick interaction: when one starfighter or turret fires, all other units will register a “hit” and ultimately “detonate.”
However, this remains the sole multi-brick interaction for the time being, as confirmed by Lego communications manager Jack Rankin to *The Verge*; even a two-brick lightsaber duel currently lacks synchronized functionality between the two bricks. During the company’s demonstrations at CES (one of which I preserved for posterity), bricks were capable of wireless interconnection to exchange colors, harmonize sounds, and engage in various games.
Another detail disclosed by Lego’s app is the meticulous protection of the Smart Brick’s tiny battery from rapid depletion. The Smart Brick provides roughly 45 minutes of active engagement, and if left idle, it enters a low-power state within three minutes. (A shake reactivates it.) Moreover, it will transition into a profound slumber after 13 hours; to rouse it from this deep sleep, you must momentarily place it on its wireless charger.
The power cells are genuinely minute—merely 45mAh, contrasted with 4,000mAh in my Samsung Galaxy S25 cellular device—and they are non-user-serviceable. As evidenced by JerryRigEverything’s comprehensive disassembly, accessing the battery proves challenging without bypassing delicate, filamentous antennas. Lego’s instruction guidelines advise securely discarding the complete unit, separate from your ordinary waste.
To further explore the internal components of the Smart Brick, examine these StoneWars X-ray scans. Additionally, Martin Ruszkiewicz has uncovered that it is presently feasible to duplicate Lego’s NFC-based Smart Tags, potentially enabling individuals to develop their own following community scrutiny of their security protocols, as detailed on this GitHub page.
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