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Robot Takes Rubik's Cube Gold

Nov. 15, 2016

Think you're a Rubik's Cube expert? Check out what one robot can do.

There was a time, many moons ago, when I was actually a Rubik's Cube master, able to complete the puzzle in 10, maybe 15 minutes. Ok, I admit it––that’s what my memory serves, but even if it did take slightly longer, anyone who knows me would be reasonably impressed simply that I got the job done.

The mulit-colored puzzle has tested legions of fans since its rise to popularity in the early 80s. And now there’s a robot that’s shattering even the best of the best Rubik's Cube records: The Sub1 Reloaded, a proof-of-concept robot using Infineon chips. According to an article on TechCrunch, the Sub1 Reloaded actually unscrambled the cube in a record-shattering 637 milliseconds––light speeds ahead of the fastest human time of 4.9 seconds.

The robot employs six motors that turn and twist the cube after another computer scans it, solving the puzzle virtually. The article says the Sub1 Reloaded is so adept at its task that you can “barely see the sides moving as it resolves the colors.”

The contest was designed to show off the power of the Infineon chips, which can process data in real time at 200Mhz, a benchmark that will prove to be essential for powering the autonomous vehicles of our future.

About the Author

Beth Stackpole, contributing writer | Contributing Editor, Automation World

Beth Stackpole is a veteran journalist covering the intersection of business and technology, from the early days of personal computing to the modern era of digital transformation. As a contributing editor to Automation World, Beth's coverage traverses a range of industries and technologies, including AI/machine learning, analytics, automation hardware and software, cloud, security, edge computing, and supply chain. In addition to her high-tech and business journalism work, Beth writes an array of custom editorial content and thought leadership pieces.