Rubik's cube solving machine
Nowadays there are many types of machines, many types created with hardware libre and with proprietary hardware, but it is really the first time I have seen a machine created for solve a rubik's cube. The machine that we are talking about has been created and modified by Maxim Tsoy, a user who created the machine and has updated it until using several components of Hardware Libre such as Arduino and Raspberry Pi model A boards.
The machine works very well, changing the servo motors for stepper motors that make the machine change the faces of the rubik's cube smoothly. The best of all is that this machine is completely released, that is, all the plans as well as the software and hardware used are detailed and published in the author's blog.
During the last update, Tsoy has changed the brain of the machine, going from an Arduino board to a Compute module, a Raspberry Pi board that has less power and accessories than the original Raspberry Pi and that in some cases is useful as this same project.
The machine to solve a rubik's cube uses a Raspberry Pi Compute module
The move from Arduino to Raspberry Pi has been tough but totally over, although Arduino will not disappear from this machine to solve the rubik's cube. One of the important elements of this machine is the scanner that scans the position of each face to process and then execute the movement. This scanner is completely made with an Arduino board that processes the information to send it to Raspberry Pi and that processes the execution algorithm.
Possibly many of you will say that why use a machine that solves such a complex rubik's cube when we ourselves can solve it in less time than it costs us to create the machine, you are right, but this machine is also perfect to learn the operation of machines, learn how to communicate Arduino with Raspberry Pi or simply use stepper motors. Not forgetting that its operation may be similar to that of some 3D printers where they scan an object and then print their copy.