Wednesday, June 1, 2011

 Fastest robot to solve a Rubik's Cube: Robot Ruby sets world record (Video)

HAWTHORN, Victoria, Australia -- STUDENTS at Swinburne University of Technologyhave developed a robot named Ruby' which can solve the Rubik's Cube in just over 10 seconds - setting the new world record for the Fastest robot to solve a Rubik's cube .

  Photo:  Students studying computing and robotics at Swinburne University of Technology have developed the world's fastest Rubik's Cube robot as a final year project for their double degree in Robotics and Mechatronics/Computer Science and Software Engineering. ( enlarge photo )

  The Guinness world record for the fastest robot to solve a Rubik's cube is 1 min 4 sec and was achieved by Rubot2, the robot was invented by Peter Redmond (Ireland).

  Guinness World Records also recognized the fastest time to solve a Rubik's Cube: 6.65 sec, achieved by Feliks Zemdegs (AUS).

  Six students built the robot from scratch, as their final year project for the double degree in Bachelor of Engineering (Robotics and Mechatronics)/Bachelor of Science (Computer Science and Software Engineering).

  The team comprised identical twin computer whiz kids Davidand Richard Bain, Daniel Purvis, Jarrod Boyes, Miriam Parkinsonand Jonathan Goldwasser.

 ( enlarge photo )

  "Ruby works by scanning each face of a scrambled cube through a web cam. It then uses a software algorithm to develop a solution which is fed to the high-speed robot through a real-time embedded control system," said Professor Chris Pilgrim, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Information and Communication Technologies.

  "The students' combined expertise in robotics and software engineering enabled them to construct a robot with a fast computer vision-tracking system capable of very high precision movements and timings."

  The Ruby robot can solve the scrambled puzzle in just over 10 seconds. This time includes the amount needed to scan the initial status of the cube.