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This is my second Rubik’s cube solver robot; This time I wanted to make it very small, simple, fully 3D printed, and inexpensive….. to attract more people into robotics, especially students.

The overal project considers the robot, to be scalable, to accomodate different budjet levels.

This instruction relates to the base version, as the more advanced versions are still work in progress; Main info, for this Base version:

It requires a PC for the cube status entry, via webcam or via mouse, and to “feed” the robot with the cube solution (based on Kociemba solver).
An ESP32 development board, programmed in Micropython, controls the robot and the two servos used for all the movements.
The interraction is supported by a GUI, coded in Python; A setting page at GUI helps with the basic robot settings.
The robot is energized via the microusb port, the same is used for the communications.

By excluding the self solving Rubik’s cubes, and the robots requiring modified cubes for gripping, this is one of the smallest Rubik’s cube robot I’ve seen so far; I believe it will be possible to finalize the fully autonomous version within the same footprint, yet we’ll see later on.

The name of this robot is CUBOTino: Apart from the obvious CUbe+roBOT, “ino” is the italian prefix standing for small….. a “small” touch recalling my origins and the very small robot dimensions.

Credits to Mr. Kociemba, who has made available the cube solver in python; Another credit to him for the GUI, from wich I’ve based the one for this robot.

Supplies
The material cost should range between 30 to 40 euro, depending if you already some filament

The more expensive parts are:

- Two servos ( TD-8325MG, 180deg 25Kg metal, with metal arm “25T” )
- One ESP32 dev board (30 pins)
- ca 500 grams of filament
Some little electronic components (prototype board, capacitors, connectors, etc), and screws

On the annex Supplies.pdf file the detailed list, included the link to the shops I’ve used and related cost”

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