Groovik's Cube

[dingleb115]

Groovik’s Cube is a fully playable 35ft high sculpture inspired by the classic puzzle, Rubik’s Cube. It is, to our knowledge, the largest functional Rubik’s Cube structure in the world. Groovik’s Cube is controlled from 3 control stations that surround the main structure. While Groovik’s Cube may be played by just one player, in three player mode each player is able to rotate only one axis, creating an entirely new, collaborative puzzle solving experience.
First displayed to the public at the Burning Man art festival in Nevada in 2009, GroovLabs is currently collaborating with the Pacifi48 c Science Center in Seattle to bring Groovik’s Cube to Seattle in October 2011 as part of a 9 month public exhibition on Engineering, Science Art and Math. The public will be able to interactively solve the Groovik’s Cube in person and one or more competitions will be held to give the world’s speed cubing champions a chance to try their hand at this novel challenge. A multi-player web application simulating the three player mode will enable practice before visiting. To date the cube has been solved only 6 times with a record time of 48 minutes.


Has anyone else seen this? When will the one or more competitions be held? and where is this multi-player web application? Furthermore, is there any good reason why this thing hasn't been solved in less than 48 minutes? Other than cubers don't go to burning man

 

[bluecloe45]

lol

 

[dingleb115]

no, I'm serious. I'm going to go see the thing in a few weeks. It says something about competitions with the worlds speedcubing champions. Does anyone here know anything about that? I don't see what would be so hard about the multi player function unless you couldn't communicate with each other.

 

[Mike Hughey]

This is it being solved with 4 people - 3 people plus a caller. I can see why it might be a bit slow to solve this way.

 

[xabu1]

This is it being solved with 4 people - 3 people plus a caller. I can see why it might be a bit slow to solve this way.

looks like they only have to turn those 3 corners!

TRIGGER AWAY!

 

[mdolszak]

That cube is...weird.

 

[qqwref]

Haha, this is kind of hilarious. World's worst cube sim?

 

[Cheese11]

Haha, this is kind of hilarious. World's worst cube sim?

That would be tourture for you

 

[DavidWoner]

This is it being solved with 4 people - 3 people plus a caller. I can see why it might be a bit slow to solve this way.

They also appear to be doing pogobat LBL, which means they are using well over 100 moves.

 

[nickvu2]

Last Monday I volunteered to help install the Groovik's Cube in the Pacific Science Center. This thing is unbelievable! From the outside it's a towering, colorfully illuminated mass; while the internals (structure, wiring, lighting components and the disorienting canted orientation of the space) are reminiscent of a spaceship. It really is beautiful =)

Last night there was a private party for all the volunteers and I was charged with recruiting speedcubers to do some test solves. There were 5 of us. Our first solve took 39 min. Haha, I definitely underestimated the Groovik's Cube! The interface took a little getting use to (each station controls one axis), the cube being positioned on it's corner threw us off a bit, but what it really came down to was communication. With a bit of planning and familiarity, our second attempt was 11:47! I finally hold a world record, lol

Mike Tyka, the creator, and I have been coordinating to put a comp together. It's tentatively scheduled for January, which apparently is the best time for the PSC folks. And of course, Team Groovik's Cube solving will be the special event!

Here are some photos of last night's event from the AP: http://tinyurl.com/grooviksAP

 

[miketyka]

Come to PacSci and have a look for yourself

 

[nickvu2]

^
killer video!!!