Lego Mindstorms NXT Robots Solving RUBIK's CUBE

[DLuders]

Here is a simple Lego NXT robot that solves Rubik's Cube (a toy that is nearly as popular as Lego, and which has been sold since 1980). There is no explanation accompanying this

, but it is a lot simpler than the complex Lego NXT MINDSTORMS devices made by others. The key is the PROGRAMMING of the NXT brick.

On this Eurobricks post, "Uniquebuilder" located this solution (from

):

On this Eurobricks post, Roamingstudio introduced this INTRICATE Rubik's Cube solver (from this Engaget story):

Video:

Does anybody know of other Rubik's Cube solvers?

[The Yellow Brick]

I have never solved a Rubik cube ever, And a Lego robot has These Robots are Awesome, I want one.

[dhc6twinotter]

Wow...these are awesome, especially the last one! I've always wanted to build one, but I would have no clue how to do the programing. I need to get one of these NXT sets!

[DLuders]

The newest (NXT 2.0) "Tilted Twister LEGO MINDSTORMS Rubik's Cube Solver" is fully explained on the website http://tiltedtwister.com/'>http://tiltedtwister.com/ . It has a (larger)

and Building Instructions.

"See http://tiltedtwister.com for info and building instructions

Features:

Solves a standard Rubik's cube

Can be built from a single LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 set

Completely stand-alone. No need to connect a computer

No web cam needed. It detects the colors using the LEGO Mindstorms color sensor

Support for Herbert Kociemba's Two-Phase Algorithm

Free programs and building instructions"

On the Building Instructions webpage, there is a Parts List and PROGRAMMING CODE for it! It even has a link to the older (NXT 1.0) version of the Rubik's Cube Solver.

On the TiltedTwister.com website, the author of that website wrote:

"Tilted Twister 2.0

Features

•Solves a standard Rubik's cube No need to replace any color stickers

•Can be built from a single LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 set

•Completely stand-alone No need to connect a computer

•No web cam needed It detects the colors using the LEGO Mindstorms color sensor

•Support for Herbert Kociemba's Two-Phase Algorithm

•Free programs and building instructions

The challenge was to build the robot using a single LEGO Mindstorms NXT-kit. And to make it completely independent, without need of being connected to a computer.

The Lego Mindstorms NXT kit contains three servo motors and a set of sensors (touch, color and ultrasonic). How should I build the robot using only theese items?

After a lot of experimenting I came up with a solution - If I tilted the whole robot, it would be possible for it to tilt the cube using only one motor, leaving the other two motors for twisting the cube and for positioning the color sensor. Thus Tilted Twister."

Recommend going to that webpage to read the entire story.

Performance

Stand-alone:

Scanning the cube: 45 seconds

Calculating a solution: 20 - 40 seconds

Executing the moves: 1 - 5 minutes

Average total time: 6 minutes

Connected to computer:

Scanning the cube: 45 seconds

Calculating a solution: 1 second

Executing the moves: 1 - 2 minutes

Average total time: 2.5 minutes

[RohanBeckett]

Searching Youtube/Google for 'Rubik Cube Solver' brings quite a few..

I hadn't seen this one before

this one is pretty quick:

quite a few use a 'brute force/flip' method of one axis of rotation, as opposed to a proper grabber/rotator

why just do a standard cube?

and plenty that use other devices/brains

and I'm pretty sure this the original RCX-based Cube Solver

(I think it's the best looking one, but then, I'm more of a stud-fan, than studless!)

http://jpbrown.i8.com/cubesolver.html

(no video anymore that I could find)

RB

<edit: booo.. I'm only allowed to [media] 2 youtube videos :(

[DLuders]

Here's a

by IAssemble that can not only solve the standard (3x3x3) Rubik's Cube, but also solve 2x2x2, 4x4x4, and 5x5x5 MultiCubes.

"MultiCuber achieves another world's first. This LEGO robot demonstrates a timed relay solve of 2x2x2, 3x3x3, 4x4x4 and 5x5x5 Rubik's cubes. This hopefully explains why the robot was given it's name!

This version of MultiCuber can solve cubes between about 5cm and 6cm. A second version has also been created that can solve physically larger cubes including the

.

The robot itself is built entirely out of LEGO including a Mindstorms NXT kit and Vision Command webcam. Both the solver application running on the laptop and the embedded software running on the NXT were written in C++. The laptop communicates with the NXT via USB.

The application uses a generic algorithm that can solve a cube of any dimension limited only by RAM and time. It has been tested with software models of cubes up to 100x100x100.

As before, Mike Dobson (Oscarworld), creator of "CubeStormer", has kindly allowed me to use another of his wonderful musical creations, "Reaction", as backing for this video."

Edited November 28, 2010 by DLuders