Rubik's Cube Solver does it in 4.56 seconds
Solving Rubik's Cubes is a learned skill. However, to compete at the highest level, you will need to train hard. Speed cubers can solve a 3×3 cube in less than ten seconds these days, after all. [aaedmusa] was nowhere near that speed, but his robot is an absolute fiend that solves at a fast pace.
The robot relies on a Teensy 4.1 microcontroller to run the show, paired with its Ethernet kit for connectivity. It runs six stepper motors through TMC2208 drivers, allowing it to directly drive each face of the cube. Purists will note, however, that the steppers are equipped with adapters that fit directly into the cube's modified center squares. A regulation Rubik's, that's not it.
The design does not include a machine vision system to capture the state of the cube. Instead, the cube state must be entered into a web application on a connected computer. Once the cube state is loaded into the program, however, the mechanical work of solving the cube can be done in less than five seconds. Even with six actuators, it's not fast enough to break the human world record of 3.47 seconds, but it's still damn good.
Funny to think that in 2011 robots and humans were so much slower at solving cubes. If only all the problems in the world were as simple as a 1970s jumble toy.
Solving Rubik's Cubes is a learned skill. However, to compete at the highest level, you will need to train hard. Speed cubers can solve a 3×3 cube in less than ten seconds these days, after all. [aaedmusa] was nowhere near that speed, but his robot is an absolute fiend that solves at a fast pace.
The robot relies on a Teensy 4.1 microcontroller to run the show, paired with its Ethernet kit for connectivity. It runs six stepper motors through TMC2208 drivers, allowing it to directly drive each face of the cube. Purists will note, however, that the steppers are equipped with adapters that fit directly into the cube's modified center squares. A regulation Rubik's, that's not it.
The design does not include a machine vision system to capture the state of the cube. Instead, the cube state must be entered into a web application on a connected computer. Once the cube state is loaded into the program, however, the mechanical work of solving the cube can be done in less than five seconds. Even with six actuators, it's not fast enough to break the human world record of 3.47 seconds, but it's still damn good.
Funny to think that in 2011 robots and humans were so much slower at solving cubes. If only all the problems in the world were as simple as a 1970s jumble toy.
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