This robot solves Rubik’s Cube in 0.1 seconds

Rubik’s Cubes are a test of logic and dexterity. Most people take minutes. Speedcubers take seconds. Purdue University’s engineering students? They don’t even need a full blink.

Faster than a blink!

Their robot, dubbed Purdubik’s Cube, recently crushed the Guinness World Record for the “fastest robot to solve a puzzle cube”. The final time? 0.103 seconds.

That’s less time than it takes the average human eye to blink. The previous record of 0.305 seconds, set by Mitsubishi Electric engineers in 2024, didn’t stand a chance.

Purdubik’s Cube isn’t just fast, it’s a precision-engineered blur of motion. Housed at Purdue’s West Lafayette campus, the machine uses a trifecta of tech, which includes a high-speed machine vision to recognise cube colours, custom algorithms optimised for speed, and industrial-grade motors for lightning-fast rotations.

Built initially for the Spark Challenge, a student design competition, the robot was created by engineering undergrads Junpei Ota, Aden Hurd, Matthew Patrohay, and Alex Berta. Their first place win in December 2024 kicked off months of refining the design, with support from Purdue’s Institute for Control, Optimisation and Networks.

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And while Purdubik’s Cube might look like a party trick, there’s serious utility behind the spectacle. Ultra-fast robotic systems like this one already play roles in manufacturing, packaging, and precision automation. When milliseconds matter, robots like Purdubik lead the charge.

The Rubik’s Cube, born in the 1980s and revived by YouTube tutorials and speedcubing tournaments, has long been a battleground for record-breakers. The fastest human time? 3.13 seconds by Max Park in 2023. Impressive, but practically glacial next to Purdue’s mechanical marvel.

So yes, blink and you’ll miss it. But rest assured, Purdubik’s Cube has already solved it.