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Android Phone Solves Rubik's Cube In 12.5 Seconds

Posted by timothy on from the varies-with-the-cube dept.

DeviceGuru writes "A Lego Mindstorms robotics kit controlled by an HTC Nexus One smartphone successfully untangled a Rubik's Cube puzzle in 12.5 seconds at this weeks ARM technical conference in Silicon Valley. The current 3x3x3 cube-solvers's 15-second average represents a substantial improvement over the 25-second solutions of an earlier version, which was powered by a circa-2006 Nokia N95 smartphone, thanks to a faster (1GHz) CPU, more RAM, and revamped cube-solving algorithms. ARM Engineer David Gilday, who created the robotic cube-solver, claims the current version's algorithms can handle cube complexities up to 100x100x100, assuming he build the mechanics. In terms of racing humans, Gilday says the Lego robotics kits can only manage around 1.5 moves per second, whereas human players can make between 5 and 6 moves per second, amazingly enough." Update: 11/12 03:45 GMT by T : Apologies to creator David Gilday, whose name was earlier misspelled.

16 of 76 comments (clear)

  1. so... by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 4, Funny

    In terms of racing humans, Gilder says the Lego robotics kits can only manage around 1.5 moves per second, whereas human players can make between 5 and 6 moves per second, amazingly enough.

    So, if we could build an ARM-powered human, it could solve the Rubik's Cube in 2-3 seconds?

    --
    This guy's the limit!
    1. Re:so... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      most humans have arms

    2. Re:so... by Monkeedude1212 · · Score: 4, Funny

      +1 Informative.

      I did not know that.

    3. Re:so... by MichaelKristopeit172 · · Score: 2, Funny

      how long does it take to shove up your ass?

      It depends if I do it 'corner first' or if I try to make it fit 'flat side up'. Either way I can top the 5 - 6 moves per second.

      I am PATHETIC.

    4. Re:so... by blair1q · · Score: 3, Funny

      I would have thought it was obvious:

      http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/11/08/article-0-0266436E000005DC-774_468x692.jpg

    5. Re:so... by Xachariah · · Score: 2, Funny

      You failed your DC 25 Human Lore check.

  2. So now it's Android time? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I remember reading countless iphone stories which were completely pointless - anything done over iphone has been reported as some sort of nerd news on /. - and it was a good indication of rabid hype of otherwise ordinary electronic device.

    Now we see similarly pointless Android stories.

    This can only mean one thing - Android has arrived.

  3. Greasing the skids... by CokoBWare · · Score: 3, Informative

    "Gilder says the Lego robotics kits can only manage around 1.5 moves per second, whereas human players can make between 5 and 6 moves per second, amazingly enough."

    Only if the cubes are greased well, otherwise they're stuck with wrestling the bloody things.

  4. Does it matter it was done with ARM? by adosch · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Maybe I'm just missing the excitement of this, but architecture aside, we know Rubik's cubes have predestined, mathematical (logical) approach to solving them, so really having any computational device (even like a microcontroller) can do that. I'd like to people fine-tune the robotic mechanics around turning and changing the cube, so it can start rivaling human solving speeds. I think that's were the feat would get a lot more interesting than seeing the next xyz-embedded computing device controlling another Lego Mindstorm.

    1. Re:Does it matter it was done with ARM? by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I'd be curious to know exactly how limited the hardware could be while still implementing the cube solving algorithm. Clock speeds are just a matter of patience, half the speed just means waiting twice as long; but there has to be an amount of RAM below which the algorithm Just Can't Be Done.

      As for the hardware side, I imagine that the guys who do really serious high speed CNC machinery could probably achieve better-than-human speeds, though the device would probably cost 100k and require the cube to be continuously sprayed with a coolant/lubricant fluid to avoid thermal or mechanical damage...

      Another interesting(and potentially cheaper; but with an exciting element of danger!) possibility would be if you allowed yourself to glue a suitably powerful magnet to each surface subcube of the cube, so you could then manipulate it without physical contact, other than one support point, by surrounding it with an array of electromagnets...

  5. Re:I don't play Rubik's Cube by darkrowan · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I'll take you as trying to troll, but the old adage "It is not the destination but the journey" seems to fit in this case.

    --
    AccountKiller
  6. Ah yes... by Oxford_Comma_Lover · · Score: 2, Interesting

    > thanks to a faster (1GHz) CPU, more RAM, and revamped cube-solving algorithms.

    I love how a few hundred million math operations per second is no longer enough for our phones, while most information in the human voice is under 8Mhz, IIRC.

    It feels a little like the math we teach our children is teaching them how to play with rocks in a cave. But they will never, ever, do what the computer is able to do already.

    Though they will do other cool stuff.

    --
    -- IANAL, this isn't legal advice, and definitely isn't legal advice for you. Also, Squee!
  7. Re:Total Moves Not Moves/second by Kunnis · · Score: 5, Informative

    The best solution for a rubix cube is always less then 20 moves (see http://www.cube20.org/ ) It averages around 18 moves for the best solution. That's 27 seconds to solve on average. Where this 11 second youtube video shows a guy solving a cube.. in less then 11 seconds. I can do it in about 60 seconds and I'm not very good. Also, before using computerized solutions, you have to know your whole solution. The manual solutions you can figure out as you go along... you can figure out your next steps while you're manipulating your current step.

  8. Now do it with... by blair1q · · Score: 4, Funny

    A 3x3x3x3 hypercube.
    A cube where all the faces are slightly different shades of yellow.
    A cube where all the faces are pictures of people's faces.
    A cube made of jello cubes.
    A cube made of Plutonium-238 .

    1. Re:Now do it with... by marsu_k · · Score: 4, Funny

      or... a time cube!

  9. Re:Total Moves Not Moves/second by Ihmhi · · Score: 2, Funny

    I can do it in about 60 seconds and I'm not very good.

    I would think anyone who can solve a Rubik's Cube in around a minute could consider themselves good.

    I seem to recall an article about Will Smith and how he was taking up speedcubing. His teacher said a good goal for the average person - the point where they "get it" - is about 2 minutes. So you're at least twice as good at something as Will Smith.

    Incidentally, have you tried rapping lately?

    --
    Random Thoughts From A Diseased Mind (Not For Dummies)