Sifteo Cubes Offer Intelligent Play

Parents who long for those bygone days when children used to play with Legos or solve puzzles, versus staring passively at a screen for hours on end, might want to take a look at a new gaming system called Sifteo. Developed by a pair of M.I.T. grads, the game consists of three white plastic blocks measuring 1.5 inches square with full-color clickable screens on top. They’re also equipped with tilt sensors and the ability to know when they’re touching one another, meaning the cubes are completely motion aware. The result is a potentially huge range of hands-on interactive games, what the company is calling “Intelligent Play.” In addition, each Sifteo pack comes with a Creativity Kit, which allows children to create their own mini-games according to their particular interest, whether it’s number puzzles or learning a foreign language. The pack itself is made up of a trio of cubes, charging hub and wireless USB adapter (the cubes need to be near a PC or Mac in order to work). Priced at $149, they’re available for pre-order now through sifteo.com, with orders scheduled to ship in September. Video of the cubes in action after the jump.