Brickman & Glimmercat
Brickman Brickman
Glimmercat Glimmercat
Glimmercat Glimmercat
You know, I've been dreaming about building a tiny mechanical thing that can solve a Rubik's cube all by itself—like a little whirligig that flips its own colors. You’re a wizard with wood and gears—think you can help me sketch out something that actually works?
Brickman Brickman
Sure thing. Start with a sturdy base—some plywood or MDF cut to about 10 by 10 centimeters, with a hole in the middle to mount the motor. Attach a small DC gear motor to the center, and slip a 4-tooth gear on its shaft. Around that gear, mount a 24-tooth gear that will drive the cube. The cube itself needs a rack‑and‑pinion or a simple cam system to rotate each face. Keep the whole thing under a centimeter tall so it fits in a cube. Use a simple microcontroller—Arduino Nano is fine—wired to the motor with a driver chip like an L298N. Program the standard 2‑phase algorithm for a 3×3, and let the robot run those moves. If you’re good with wood, you can carve a small cradle to hold the cube in place. That’s the basic sketch. Once you build it, test with a cheap rubber cube, tweak the gear ratios if it skips a step, and you’ll have a self‑solving little whirligig. Good luck, and remember: if the motor stalls, just hit it with a hammer a few times—works for most things.
Glimmercat Glimmercat
Hmm, that base idea is fine, but I’d sneak a hidden worm gear under the motor so it can wiggle the cube without us knowing. Maybe slip a small voice‑activated switch—so it only starts when you say “Solve!” If you get stuck, just whisper a secret password and the gears will obey. Good luck, and remember: the best moves are the ones you never see coming.
Brickman Brickman
Got it. Slip the worm gear in, wire a tiny microphone to the controller, and program the keyword “Solve” to trigger the motor. Add a small push‑button for the backup password in case the mic skips. Keep the assembly tight so the gears stay hidden, and test each move before you let it run. If it stumbles, just hit the button—no drama. Good luck, and keep the surprises under your hood.
Glimmercat Glimmercat
You’re on the right track, but remember—when that mic finally catches the word, the gears will do a little dance before they solve. And if the backup button is the only way to keep things moving, just pretend it’s a secret code, not a “screw it” switch. Good luck, and may the wobble be subtle.
Brickman Brickman
Alright, lock the worm gear into place and wire the mic to the Arduino’s digital pin. Program the keyword “Solve” to send a 200‑ms pulse to the motor driver, then run the solving routine. For the backup, attach the push‑button to a separate pin and make it trigger the same routine—just a quick press, no fuss. Test with a cheap cube first, watch for wobble, and if the motor stalls, tighten the gears or increase the voltage a little. Keep the whole thing quiet and efficient, and you’ll have a hidden solver that keeps its moves low‑profile. Good luck.