SHOWSTOPPER

Gadgets that showcase the very best that design and technology have to offer

LEGO SMART PLAY

You might think of Lego bricks as dumb chunks of plastic, but that’s no longer the case. With the launch of Lego Smart Play, the popular toy is gaining new features and functions that could change how it’s used forever. Unlike regular Lego blocks, Smart Play bricks are loaded with light and sound sensors, accelerometers, speakers and even a custom chip that ties everything together. This isn’t your grandma’s Lego – no, Smart Play uses all that high-tech wizardry to create custom lights and sounds that fire off whenever compatible Lego pieces are placed near each other. That means you could get your bricks to play engine sounds or simulate explosive flashes on command, for example. The first Lego Smart Play sets consist of iconic characters and vehicles from the Star Wars universe, so if you’ve always wanted to recreate a classic Lightsaber battle with immersive effects or listen to The Imperial March as Emperor Palpatine sits on his Lego throne, now’s your opportunity. From £59.99, lego.com