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How to build MindCub3r for LEGO

MINDSTORMS EV3
NOTE: this web page will be updated soon to include more information about the
Education variant of MindCub3r but there should already be enough links to
download the files and start using it.

Download instructions and software: (right click and "Save link as...")
 • Building instructions v1.0 (Home set 31313): download

• Building instructions v1.1 (Education sets 45544+45560):

download

• EV3 Color Sensor RGB Block v1.00: see here

• EV3 Program: see here

1. Description
MindCub3r is a robot that can be built from a single LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 home set
(31313) or from EV3 Education Core and Expansion sets (45544+45560) to solve the well
known Rubik's Cube puzzle.

All MindCub3r software releases should work with LEGO firmware versions from v1.06H
(home) and v1.06E (Education) onwards. It is recommended that the EV3 firmware is
always updated to the latest version released from LEGO.

Note: the original MindCub3r release that required older, enhanced firmware, v1.05M, is
still available here if required.

Construct the robot by carefully following the build instructions (Home) or build instructions
(Education) and then download and install the software described below.

MindCub3r software consists of three main parts:

1. a project file: MindCub3r-v1p7.ev3 or MindCub3r-Ed-v1p7.ev3, containing the motor

and sensor control program created using the standard LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3
graphical programming environment
2. an executable program: mc3solver-v1p7.rtf, compiled from C++ that implements an
efficient solving algorithm that can find much shorter solutions than the NXT
MindCuber variants
 3. an EV3 application: "MC3 Solver v1p7", that is used to launch the mc3solver-v1p7.rtf
program

The main program and mc3solver-v1p7.rtf executable program communicate with each
other via shared files on the EV3.

Note: release v1p7 uses the .rtf extension to enable the files to be downloaded using the
standard LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 software. The .rtf extension is intended to be used for
files containing text so using if for the executable program is a work-around. Please do not
try to open this file with a text editor.

MindCub3r uses the EV3 color sensor in RGB mode to enable it to measure colors that
cannot be distingished by the standard color mode provided by the standard LEGO
MINDSTORMS EV3 software. The Color Sensor RGB Block must be imported into the LEGO
MINDSTORMS EV3 software to support this mode.

2. Software
Note: to use the Download links below:

• On Windows - right click on the link

• On Mac - click on the link while holding the control(ctrl) key

Select one of the following from the pop-up menu:

• Save link as...

• Save Target As...
• Download Linked File As...

Then choose a folder on your computer in which to save the file.

2.1 Install Color Sensor RGB Block

1. Download the block, ColorSensorRGB-v1.00.ev3b, to your computer. Note that this file
may be renamed to ColorSensorRGB-v1.00.zip during the download. If this happens,
rename the file back to ColorSensorRGB-v1.00.ev3b
2. Start the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 software and create a new, empty project.
3. Select the Tools menu and then Block Import.
4. In the Block Import and Export dialog, select Browse.

5. Find the file ColorSensorRGB-v1.00.ev3b on your computer and Open it.

 6. Select ColorSensorRGB-v1.00.ev3b from Select Blocks to Import and then select
Import.

7. To complete the installation, close the dialogs and exit from LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3
software.

2.2 Download MindCub3r Program

1. Download the appropriate file to your computer:

◦ download MindCub3r-v1p7.zip (Home set 31313)
◦ download MindCub3r-Ed-v1p7.zip (Education sets 45544+45560)
Note: previous versions are still available here:
◦ download MindCub3r-v1p6.zip (Home set 31313)
◦ download MindCub3r-Ed-v1p6.zip (Education sets 45544+45560)
◦ download MindCub3r-v1p5.zip (Home set 31313)
◦ download MindCub3r-Ed-v1p5.zip (Education sets 45544+45560)
◦ download MindCub3r-v1p4.zip (Home set 31313)
◦ download MindCub3r-Ed-v1p4.zip (Education sets 45544+45560)
◦ download MindCub3r-v1p3.zip (Home set 31313)
◦ download MindCub3r-Ed-v1p3.zip (Education sets 45544+45560)
◦ download MindCub3r-v1p1a.zip (Home set 31313)
2. Extract all the files from this archive. On a computer running Windows, find the file in
Windows Explorer, click with the right mouse button and select Extract all... This
archive contains:
◦ the MindCub3r-v1p7.ev3 or MindCub3r-Ed-v1p7.ev3 project file with the main
program
◦ the mc3solver-v1p7.rtf executable program
◦ InstallMC3-v1p7.rbf to install an application to launch mc3solver-v1p7.rtf
3. Start the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 software and select the File menu then Open
Project.

4. Find the MindCub3r-v1p7.ev3 or MindCub3r-Ed-v1p7.ev3 project file and Open it.

5. Download the MindCub3r program to the EV3 (but do not run it yet).
6. Select the Tools menu and then Memory Browser.

7. Select Brick (or SD Card if there is a micro-SD card in the EV3) and find and select
MindCub3r-v1p7 or MindCub3r-Ed-v1p7 in the Projects folder and then select
Download.

8. Find the folder on the computer where the files were extracted from MindCub3r-
v1p7.zip or MindCub3r-Ed-v1p7.zip. Select mc3solver-v1p7.rtf and Open to download
this program to the EV3.
 9. Select Download again from the Memory Browser dialog.

10. Find the folder on the computer where the files were extracted from MindCub3r-
v1p7.zip or MindCub3r-Ed-v1p7.zip. Select InstallMC3-v1p7.rbf and Open to download
 this file to the EV3.

11. Close the Memory Browser dialog.

2.3 Install the MC3 Solver Application

1. Go to the Run Recent screen on the EV3.

2. Press the right button on the EV3 to move to the File Navigation screen. Select the
MindCub3r-v1p7 or MindCub3r-Ed-v1p7 folder and press the center button to open it.
If there is a micro-SD card in the EV3, select and open the SD_Card folder first.

3. Use the down button to Select InstallMC3-v1p7 and press the center button to run it.
The EV3 will make a short beep.
 This installs "MC3 Solver v1p7" application on the Brick Apps screen.

4. Turn off the EV3 brick to ensure all the files are saved to the flash memory and then
turn it on again.

MindCub3r is now ready to use!

3. Operation
1. Run the "MC3 Solver v1p7" application on the EV3 from the Brick Apps screen to start
the mc3solver-v1p7.rtf executable program.

This is only necessary once each time the EV3 is turned on as the program will
continue to run in the background until the EV3 is turned off.

2. Run the MindCub3r program on the EV3 from the Run Recent screen or from the File
Navigation screen if it is the first time it has been run.

The program first resets the position of the scan arm (holding the color sensor) and
then the tilt arm. If the turntable starts to rotate or the two arms do not move in this
order, please carefully check that cables have been connected to the correct ports on
the EV3 as shown by the color coding in the build instructions. During this period, the
EV3 buttons flashes red.

The program then connects to the mc3solver-v1p7.rtf program that was downloaded to
the EV3. If the program is found, the EV3 makes a short beep and continues. If the
solver program is not running, the buttons continues to flash red and the message
"Find solver" is displayed on the EV3 screen. If this happens, please check that the
"mc3solver-v1p7.rtf" program has been downloaded to the MindCub3r-v1p7`or
MindCub3r-Ed-v1p7 project folder on the EV3 and that the "MC3 Solver v1p7"
application has been installed and run once.

When MindCub3r is ready to start, the EV3 buttons turn orange and the message
"Insert cube..." is displayed on the screen.

3. Gently turn the turntable in each direction with your finger so that it moves slightly
because of "play" in the gears connecting it to the motor. If necessary, adjust the
 position of the motor so that there is an equal mount of play in each direction. Use the
left and right buttons on the EV3 to do this. A short press nudges the motor by a small
angle. Holding the button for longer moves it by larger angles more quickly.

4. Insert a scambled Rubik's Cube into the turntable tray and MindCub3r will start to scan
and solve the cube.

MindCub3r may scan the cube up to three times if it is unable to determine the colors
at first. If the scanned colors do not result in a valid pattern, MindCub3r will stop after
the third attempt and display the message "Scan error" on the EV3 display. If this
happens, there may be a number of possible causes. See the troubleshooting section.

If there is a cube present before MindCub3r is ready, the buttons will stay red and the
message "Remove cube..." is displayed for you to remove the cube. If this happens
even when no cube is present or if MindCub3r does not start to scan the cube when it
is inserted, please check that the cables to the infra red or ultrasonic and color sensors
are connected to the correct ports on the EV3 as shown in by the color coding in the
build instructions.

4. Troubleshooting Tips
4.1 Scanning

If MindCub3r attempts to scan the cube 3 times and displays the message "Scan error" the
following tips may help.

1. MindCub3r is designed to work with an official Rubik's Cube branded by Rubik's.

However, it should work with most cubes provided one set of stickers is white and the
others are distinct colors. It is optimized to work with white, yellow, red, orange, green
and blue stickers.
2. Cubes with a white plastic body may scan less reliably that those with a black body but
may work reasonably well if there are no other issues.
3. A standard cube is about 57mm along each edge. MindCub3r will work most reliably
with a cube this size although cubes that are only slightly larger or smaller may work.
It has been known to solve some cubes as small as 55mm but not all.
4. Make sure latest release of the MindCub3r software is installed including the latest
enhanced firmware. Version v1p7 has some improvements in the position of the scan
arm and the underlying algorithm for discriminating the colors.
5. Check that the scan arm has been built exactly as shown in the build instructions.
Small differences such as how the black 5-hole beams on either side of the scan arm
are connected can alter the position of the color sensor during the scan or even jam
the scan arm so it stops during the scan. In particular, if the color sensor looks as
though it is over the edge of the cube or too close to the middle while scanning the
corner or edge, please check the build instructions again.
6. Make sure that the turntable is carefully aligned before inserting the cube as described
here. This is required to ensure that the cube is positioned correcetly under the color
sensor during the scan.
7. Use new or well charged batteries as the reset position of the scan arm can be affected
by low battery levels.
8. Try the scan in dim lighting conditions as the color sensor can become saturated in
bright lights.
9. Try to bend the cable connecting the color sensor to the EV3 in its most natural
direction (swap the two ends if necessary) and through the clip at the bottom of the
scan arm to minimize any force that the cable applies to the position of the color
sensor during the scan.
If this does not help, please upload a video showing a failing scan with close up views of the
scan arm from different angles and the position of the color sensor over the cube as the
scan arm moves and post a link on the MindCuber Facebook page and I will try to help.

Like MindCuber on Facebook to share your experiences and help each other with
troubleshooting.

See more LEGO robot Rubik's Cube solvers at youtube.com/IAssemble and

youtube.com/ARMflix
Copyright © 2013-2015 David Gilday

LEGO and MINDSTORMS are trademarks of the LEGO Group

Rubik's Cube is a trademark of Seven Towns Limited

Disclaimer: thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own