A new article shows how toy bricks, such as LEGO blocks, are not only for children—in the hands of engineers, they can become a powerful laboratory tool for conducting sophisticated tasks.

Researchers extended the use of toy bricks in the laboratory by developing a tensile tester for stretchable and , which might lead to products such as foldable iPads and smartphones or integrated electronics in clothing.

"Toy bricks are simply perfect for prototyping, combining cost-effective machinery design with easy and intuitive handling and accuracy comparable to commercial testing devices," said Richard Moser, lead author of the Advanced Science study.

More information: Richard Moser et al. From Playroom to Lab: Tough Stretchable Electronics Analyzed with a Tabletop Tensile Tester Made from Toy-Bricks, Advanced Science (2016). DOI: 10.1002/advs.201500396

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