LEGO is testing a redesigned version of the iconic childhood toy that is meant to help blind or visually impaired children learn braille in an engaging way.
It's a big mission, given that only 10% of blind children in the U.S. are currently learning to read braille, according to a report by the National Federation of the Blind.
LEGO unveiled its Braille Bricks on Wednesday at the Sustainable Brands Conference in Paris, France.
According to LEGO's announcement, the Braille Bricks will be molded with the same number of studs used for different letters and numbers in the braille alphabet, but will still work like original LEGOs.
The LEGO Foundation said its piloting the grassroots project in collaboration with blind associations from Denmark, Brazil, UK and Norway. The first prototypes are currently being tested in those countries.
It's a project that has a special impact for LEGO Group Senior Art Director Morten Blonde. He suffers from a genetic eye disorder that is gradually making him blind and only has 4-degree sight left, but isn't letting that limit him.
"Experiencing reactions from both students and teachers to LEGO Braille Bricks has been hugely inspirational and reminded me that the only limitations I will meet in life are those I create in my mind," he said in LEGO's press release.
The company expects the final LEGO Braille Bricks kit to be available sometime next year. It'll contain around 250 Braille Bricks in 5 colors, featuring the alphabet, numbers, and select math symbols.
The kits will be provided for free to select institutions worldwide.
LEGO Foundation CEO John Goodwin said they believe children learn best through play. "With this project, we are bringing a playful and inclusive approach to learning Braille to children. I hope children, parents, caregivers, teachers and practitioners worldwide will be as excited as we are, and we can’t wait to see the positive impact,” Goodwin said.