LEGO Sets Research Articles

Have LEGO Products Become More Violent?

Although television, computer games and the Internet play an important role in the lives of children they still also play with physical toys, such as dolls, cars and LEGO bricks. The LEGO company has become the world’s largest toy manufacturer. Our study investigates if the LEGO company’s products have become more violent over time. First, we analyzed the frequency of weapon bricks in LEGO sets. Their use has significantly increased. Second, we empirically investigated the perceived violence in the LEGO product catalogs from the years 1978–2014. Our results show that the violence of the depicted products has increased significantly over time. The LEGO Company’s products are not as innocent as they used to be.

Play and identity in gendered LEGO franchises

ABSTRACTIn this paper, we use a mixed methods approach to compare the multimodal ‘building blocks' of play provided by the LEGO Friends franchise, which is primarily aimed at female audiences, and several other LEGO series that are marketed to similar-age male audiences. Using both quantitative and qualitative analyses, we examine if and how certain configurations of play and gendered-discourses may be privileged through preferred set constructions (i.e. those provided by LEGO via instructions and marketing materials) and associated media narratives (i.e. video games and videos). Initial quantitative analyses suggest that LEGO sets for girls may be at a slightly more developmentally advanced level than those for boys. Qualitative analyses suggest that the sets, games, and materials both challenge and affirm traditional gender stereotypes.

Innovation management based on proactive engagement of customers: A case study on LEGO Group. Part II: Challenge of engaging the digital customer

To foster the development of innovative products and new technologies, nowadays companies use an open innovation system, encouraging stakeholders to contribute, using the companies’ online platforms for open innovation or social media, bringing and sharing creative solutions and ideas in order to respond to challenging needs the company directly expresses. Accordingly, the current research continues the analysis of the LEGO Group innovation efforts, aiming to provide a case study approach based on describing the most important projects and online instruments company uses to interact with customers and other external stakeholders. Thus, by analysing the experience of the company in developing projects of involving stakeholders in the innovation processes, the article emphasizes the objective of these past projects developed by LEGO Group, outlining their objectives regarding the focus on the product or process innovation, the team management and stakeholders involved in the innovation actions and the results they obtained. Moreover, the case study highlights the features of the most important online instruments LEGO Group uses at the moment for engaging LEGO fans, children, parents, and other external stakeholders in developing new LEGO sets. Thus, LEGO online instruments provide the opportunity for customers to be creative and to respond to LEGO management team challenges. Accordingly, LEGO involve customers in bringing innovative ideas for LEGO sets through LEGO Ideas instrument, which aims to engage customers in submitting projects, voting and supporting ideas and also sharing them on social media. Also, the research emphasizes the role of supporting the open dialogue and interaction with customers and other external stakeholders through LEGO.com Create & Share Galleries instrument, using their creativity to upload innovative models in the public galleries. The continuous challenges LEGO launches for their fans create a long-term connection between company and its customers, supporting the value co-creation process, as the submitted ideas can materialize in new LEGO products which can be found on the market. As a consequence, customers’ engagement in the co-creation process facilitated by the multiple online instruments provided by LEGO, resulted in positive outcomes for the company regarding new product development for the sets launched on the market to satisfy changing needs of their customers. The results provided by this case study approach can be useful for the business environment and academia as well in order to understand the role of engaging customers in the open innovation process, creating a competitive advantage on the market for companies.

No More Missing LEGO Parts: A Simple Inventory System that Works!

In this article, we show a method for organizing the LEGO WeDo Robotics Set. The system is proving to greatly decrease the time needed for inventorying parts and storing and transporting LEGO sets, saving youth time in finding parts for the various builds and keeping the hair on leader's heads ☺.

Lego sets from DNA bricks

Lego sets from DNA bricks

3D Digital Legos for Teaching Security Protocols

We have designed and developed a 3D digital Lego system as an education tool for teaching security protocols effectively in Information Assurance courses (Lego is a trademark of the LEGO Group. Here, we use it only to represent the pieces of a construction set.). Our approach applies the pedagogical methods learned from toy construction sets by treating security primitives as Lego pieces and protocols as construction results. Simulating the Lego toys, the digital Legos use matching shapes to help students understand the relationships among security primitives and protocols. Specifically, we present a flexible Lego generation method that can use various intuitive shapes to represent abstract and complex security protocols. Our design allows easy generation of new Lego sets and creation of different course materials. The integrated system also provides 3D interaction methods that simulate the real Lego building experience. For selected security courses, we have designed sample demonstrations and experiments for a set of important protocols. The initial evaluation results show encouraging feedback from students on using digital Legos in introductory security courses.

BTEs

FigureOur practice has always believed that well-fitted behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids are less visible than many in-the-ear (ITE) products for pediatric and adult patients alike. Further, BTE instruments often incorporate features (dual programs or microphones, better feedback control, etc.) not available in their smaller ITE counterparts. Nevertheless, many hearing aid users—adults and children, and their parents—ask for smaller, “invisible” instruments. BTEs remain the standard protocol for infants and young children and also for fitting hearing loss in the severe and profound range. In our practice, we see a full range of patients, primarily older children and adults, and over 40% of our fittings are BTE instruments. Following are some of our experiences in making behind-the-ear products an attractive and functional choice in a society focused on cosmetics. BTEs BECOMING smaller First, the same technologies that have made completely-in-the-canal hearing aids possible have also made many BTE products smaller. While maintaining all the benefits of BTEs, this miniaturization makes them more comfortable for the user and improves their appearance. Trying the downsized BTE products with adolescents who want to “upgrade” to the ITE style often causes them to discover the greater comfort they afford. We also find that matching the BTE case to hair color results in improved cosmetics. Further, coupling small BTEs with small earmolds whose material blends well with the color of the concha produces a fit that is functional and attractive. But, you may ask, are small earmolds appropriate for kids? What about retention? Shouldn't children wear full-shell molds? What about earmolds with the color swirl options? Don't all kids want custom-colored molds? At one time, full-shell molds were necessary with all power instruments to control feedback. But, in the early 1990s, we were introduced to the concept of smaller molds for power fits. In fitting a new programmable BTE, the manufacturer suggested the Emtech Patriot earmold to control feedback in a product without a volume control. We found that this mold was designed for the severe and profound hearing loss range and came in half-shell and canal-lock styles. This amazed us, and even more amazing was that it worked with power fits! Patients who had always worn extra-thick, extra-long-canal, full-shell earmolds achieved good hearing (without additional feedback) with a mold half the usual size. Plus, smaller earmolds were easier to insert and more comfortable to wear, especially for people who use their hearing aid 16 or more hours a day. While we feel the Patriot mold remains a good choice for small molds, we have found that the Invisiear, also made by Emtech Labs, of Roanoke, VA, can provide fittings without feedback even when 60 to 70 dB of gain is required. For mild to moderate gain fittings, the canal-only version virtually disappears when worn. OFFER OPTIONS Our philosophy with kids is to present options, and to appreciate that as young people grow, their tastes and concerns change. About the time that Barbie dolls, Lego sets, and action figures give way to the “right” clothes, hairstyles, and music, children may want to trade their swirl earmolds and purple hearing aids for something a little less noticeable. Finally, cosmetics are just one part of a hearing aid fitting. The more important component, the quality of hearing improvement, should not be compromised for cosmetics. This takes patient and persistent counseling. Pediatric clients, especially adolescents, as well as their parents, need to fully understand the benefits and advantages of BTE instruments (not to mention FM usage) and be presented with a variety of cosmetic options. Otherwise they may believe that BTEs represent old-fashioned technology.