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Build your own LEGO® MINDSTORMS® robot to solve the Rubik's Cube®...
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Record-smashing LEGO robotics engineering! It took two LEGO fans (Mike Dobson and David Gilday) over 18 months to perfect the technology of this awesome, world record breaking LEGO robot that averages around 3 seconds to solve a 3x3 Rubiks Cube! The CUBESTORMER III uses approximately 6,000 LEGO elements and a smartphone for color recognition and to solve calculations. The smartphone analyses the cube and instructs four robotic hands to do the manipulations. The eight LEGO MINDSTORMS P-bricks control motor sequencing and control. Check out this clip from LEGO World in Copenhagen to see this awesome fan creation in action!
NOTE: the images on this web page refer to the home variant of MindCub3r so there may be slight differences if the Education variant is used.
Note: release v2p1 uses the.rtf extension to enable the files to be downloaded using the standard LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 software.
Download instructions and software: (right click and 'Save link as...')
1. Description
MindCub3r is a robot that can be built from a single LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 home set (31313) or from EV3 Education Core and Expansion sets (45544+45560) to solve the well known Rubik's Cube puzzle.
All MindCub3r software releases should work with LEGO EV3 firmware versions from v1.06H (home) and v1.06E (Education) onwards. It is recommended that the EV3 firmware is always updated to the latest version released from LEGO.
Construct the robot by carefully following the build instructions (Home) or build instructions (Education) and then download and install the software described below.
MindCub3r software consists of three main parts:
Note: release v2p2 uses the .rtf extension to enable the files to be downloaded using the standard LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 software. The .rtf extension is intended to be used for files containing text so using if for the executable program is a work-around. Please do not try to open this file with a text editor.
MindCub3r uses the EV3 color sensor in RGB mode to enable it to measure colors that cannot be distingished by the standard color mode provided by the standard LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 software. The Color Sensor RGB Block must be imported into the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 software to support this mode.
Note: to use the Download links below:
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2.1 Install Color Sensor RGB Block
2.2 Download MindCub3r Program
2.3 Install the MC3 Solver Application
MindCub3r is now ready to use!
3. Operation
4. Troubleshooting Tips4.1 General
The video of the home variant of MindCub3r shows a prototype. The scan arm support was improved before the build instructions were published so do not worry if your MindCub3r does not look quite like the video. There are many other videos of MindCub3r built by other people in this playlist
If MindCub3r stops with the message 'Reset scan' and no motors are turning the following tips may help:
If this does not help, please upload a video showing how how the mechanism moves when the program is started and post a link on the MindCuber Facebook page for further help.
4.2 Tilting
If MindCub3r fails to tilt the cube correctly the following tip may help:
4.3 Scanning
If MindCub3r attempts to scan the cube 3 times and displays the message 'Scan error' the following tips may help.
If this does not help, please upload a video showing a failing scan with close up views of the scan arm from different angles and the position of the color sensor over the cube as the scan arm moves and post a link on the MindCuber Facebook page for further help.
Like MindCuber on Facebook to share your experiences and help each other with troubleshooting.
See more LEGO robot Rubik's Cube solvers at youtube.com/IAssemble and youtube.com/ARMflix
Copyright © 2013-2019 David Gilday
LEGO and MINDSTORMS are trademarks of the LEGO Group Disclaimer: thoughts and opinions expressed here are my ownRubik's Cube is a trademark of Seven Towns Limited ![]() Comments are closed.
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