RuBot II facts for kids
RuBot II is a special robot built to solve the famous Rubik's Cube puzzle. It was created by an Irish inventor and robot expert named Pete Redmond. For a while, RuBot II was known as the fastest robot in the world at solving Rubik's Cubes. It even appeared in the 2010 Guinness World Records book for this amazing skill.
However, another robot called Ruby, made in Australia in 2011, later beat RuBot II's fastest time. Even so, RuBot II remains a very impressive machine.
Pete Redmond built RuBot II partly for fun and entertainment. But he also believes the technology used in the robot can be very helpful in real life. For example, the way RuBot II "sees" the cube could be used in other robots. These robots could then go into dangerous places, like disaster areas, where it's not safe for humans. They could look around and make smart choices on their own.
You can find many videos of RuBot II in action on YouTube. Its creators even gave it some human-like qualities, like talking, to make the videos more fun to watch.
The RuBot 2 is not the first Rubik's Cube solving robot, but it has to be the coolest looking - and I truly believe it to be the fastest robotic Cube solver ever.
How RuBot II Solves the Cube
This robot can easily pick up and solve a scrambled Rubik's Cube. Here's how it works:
- First, a person gives RuBot II a mixed-up cube.
- The robot then grabs the cube and lifts it up to its "eyes," which are cameras.
- It scans all sides of the cube to see how the colors are arranged.
- The information from the cameras is fed into a special computer program. This program uses a method called "Kociemba's 2-phase algorithm" to figure out the best way to solve the cube. It usually finds a solution in less than one second, needing fewer than 20 moves.
- Finally, RuBot II uses its special air-powered arms to move the cube's parts. It can solve any Rubik's Cube in under 50 seconds. Its fastest recorded time was an incredible 21 seconds! Because of its speed, the robot has been nicknamed "The Cubinator."
Meet the Creator: Pete Redmond
Pete Redmond, the genius behind RuBot II, comes from Dublin, Ireland. He has a strong background in technology and engineering. Pete used to work as an avionics engineer, which means he worked on the electronic systems in aircraft, for the Irish Air Corps. He also has degrees in Computer Science and a master's degree in Engineering.
Besides RuBot II, Pete Redmond has created other amazing robots. He built "Diotoir" and "Nemesis," which were popular robots on the TV show Robot Wars. He also made a sprinting robot powered by an engine called "Ulysses." This robot even set a world record on a BBC TV show called Technogames.
