Robot solves Rubik's cube in record 2.39 seconds

How long does it take for you to solve a Rubik's cube? Well, according to the official Rubik's page, it should not take you more than two minutes once you have learned how to solve it. The learning itself might take about 45 minutes.

A robot has now been officially recognised by the Guinness World Records (GWR) for completing a complex puzzle in just 2.39 seconds. Zackary Gromko from Bradenton, Florida, a student who developed it, claims that his robot can solve a standard Rubik's cube faster than anybody. Zackary successfully demonstrated his creation at his high school, Saint Stephen's Episcopal in Florida. The robot achieved a new Guinness world record for the "fastest time to solve a Rubik's cube".

The robot first scans the cube using its two cameras and then automatically generates a solution. It then rotates the cube using its six arms, while using one for each cube. Its arms are connected to stepper motors to rotate the faces of the cube.

According to GWR, the cube meets the conditions of the World Cube Association (WCA). "The WCA regulations contain a full set of regulations that apply to all official competitions sanctioned by the World Cube Association. The regulations are also supplemented by the WCA Guidelines. They should be considered a complete document, but the Guidelines contain additional clarifications and explanations," says the official WCA regulation site.

While detailing the reason behind building the robot, Zackary says that he was too slow at solving the puzzle. "Even the best human methods up at this point can take 60 turns, but really any cube can be solved in less than 20 turns. I have done it purely because this is what I love to do," he adds.

If you are wondering how to solve a Rubik's cube, here are the following guidelines shared by the Rubik's site.

Check out the video of Zackary Gromko's robot solving the Rubik's cube.