By arranging the electronic TileToy, users can play different games, ranging from fast-paced arcade style games to puzzle or learning games. Compared to traditional tile games, TileToy can avail itself of changing-state strategies, animations and games where the tiles can effect the state of adjoining tiles.

The re-programmable and constantly updated graphical information on each tile is displayed with a LED matrix system. Each tile is controlled individually and transmit information on its own or in groups of several tiles, e.g. for scrolling text. The tiles snap onto each other magnetically and communicate wirelessly with the help of built-in transmitters and receivers. The assembled tiles are “aware” of their individual position in relation to each other.

TileToy is an open project. Both the source code and the hardware will be made available via open licenses and the process is available from the blog.

By Tuomo Tammenpää and Daniel Blackburn.

See also Digital Cubes and blockjam.