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		<p><b>This machine can solve the 4x4x4 Rubik’s Cube !</b></p>
		<p>---</p>
		<p><i>Ce robot peut résoudre le Rubik's Cube 4x4x4 !</i></p>
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	<a href="#one" class="more scrolly">Learn More</a>
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				<p>
					<span style="display: none" id="intro_fr">
						Le <b>BallCuber</b> est un robot capable de résoudre le Revenge Rubik's Cube de taille
						4x4x4.<br />
						Il dispose d'une mécanique brevetée, rapide et innovante qui permet à chaque mouvement de moteur
						de
						tourner
						une couche. Le robot est entièrement imprimé en 3D.<br />
						Le Rubik's Cube 4x4x4 est situé à l'intérieur d'une sphère (d'où le nom BallCuber ;) ). Des
						pièces
						intermédiaires sont situées entre le cube et la sphère. Des moteurs pas-à-pas animent la machine
						via
						un
						réducteur et un mécanisme à croix de malte. Lorsqu'un moteur tourne, il entraine le glissement
						d'une
						rangée
						de pièces intermédiaires sur la paroi intérieur de la sphère, ce qui propage le mouvement à une
						couronne
						du
						cube.<br />
						Un logiciel de supervision sur PC ainsi qu'un logiciel embarqué permettent de piloter le robot.
						Le
						coffret
						électronique est composé de cartes Arduino, de driver de moteur pas-à-pas, de moteurs, de
						codeurs
						d'angles
						magnétiques et de beaucoup de câbles.<br />
						L'état initial du cube est obtenu par un dispositif à part muni d'une caméra. Le logiciel de
						supervision
						traite les images et un algorithme calcule les mouvements nécessaires à la résolution. Une fois
						que
						l'utilisateur dépose le Rubik's Cube 4x4x4 dans le robot et ferme le capot, le cube est manipulé
						et
						ressort
						résolu en environ 3:20s !<br />
						Dans une prochaine version, nous espérons disposer de 9 moteurs brushless ainsi que d'une
						mécanique
						plus
						précise pour battre le record du monde qui est de 1:18s.<br />
						Soyez libre de parcourir le site web ou de nous contacter pour plus d'information.
					</span>
					<span id="intro_en">
						The <b>BallCuber</b> is a robot able to solve the Revenge Rubik's Cube 4x4x4.<br />
						It has a patented, fast and innovative mechanics that allows each motor movement to turn a
						layer.
						The
						robot
						is fully 3D printed.<br />
						The Rubik's Cube 4x4x4 is located inside a sphere (hence the name BallCuber ;) ). Intermediate
						parts
						are
						located between the cube and the sphere. Stepper motors animate the machine via a gearbox and a
						geneva
						drive
						mechanism. When a motor rotates, it causes a row of intermediate parts to slide on the inner
						wall of
						the
						sphere, which spreads the movement to a layer of the cube.<br />
						The robot is controlled by PC-based supervision software as well as embedded software. The
						electronic
						cabinet is composed of Arduino boards, stepper motor drivers, motors, magnetic angle encoders
						and a
						lot
						of
						cables.<br />
						The initial state of the cube is obtained by a separate device equipped with a camera. The
						supervision
						software processes the images and an algorithm calculates the movements necessary for the
						resolution.
						Once
						the user puts the Rubik's Cube 4x4x4 into the robot and closes the hood, the cube is manipulated
						and
						comes
						out solved in about 3:20s!<br />
						In a future version, we hope to have 9 brushless motors as well as more precise mechanics to
						beat
						the
						world
						record which is 1:18s.<br />
						Feel free to browse the website or contact us for more information.
					</span>
				</p>
			</div>
			<p class="read-more"><a href="javascript:void(0)" id="btn-read-more" class="button"><span
						class="icon fa-chevron-down"></span><span id="txt-read-more">Read More...</span></a></p>
		</div>

		{% include 3dModel.html %}
	</div>
</section>

<!-- Two -->
<section id="two" class="wrapper alt style2">
	<section class="spotlight">
		<div class="image"><img src="/assets/patent/preview.png" alt="Balccuber patent" /></div>
		<div class="content">
			<h2>Patent</h2>
			<p>The BallCuber mechanism is patented.</p>
			<p><a href="/patent">Read more...</a></p>
		</div>
	</section>
	<section class="spotlight">
		<div class="image"><img src="/assets/kinematic/KinematicCrossSectionFast.gif" alt="" /></div>
		<div class="content">
			<h2>How it works</h2>
			<p>The machine is made of :</p>
			<ul>
				<li>1 x 3D printed sphere</li>
				<li>9 x stepper motors NEMA 17</li>
				<li>9 x magnetic encoders</li>
				<li>9 x 3D printed planetary gears</li>
				<li>54 x 3D printed internal parts</li>
				<li>Magnets, screws, small pieces, ...</li>
			</ul>
			<p><a href="/mechanical-design">Read more...</a></p>
		</div>
	</section>
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		<div class="image"><img src="/assets/electronic-cabinet.jpg" alt="" /></div>
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			<h2>Hardware</h2>
			<p>The hardware cabinet is made of :</p>
			<ul>
				<li>2 x Arduino Mega (using Multistepper and Sharer libraries)</li>
				<li>2 x Ramps 1.4</li>
				<li>9 x stepper drivers</li>
				<li>Sub-D50 wire and connectors</li>
				<li>a lot of wires !</li>
				<li>Power supply</li>
				<li>USB hub</li>
			</ul>
			<p><a href="/electronics">Read more...</a></p>
		</div>
	</section>
	<section class="spotlight">
		<div class="image"><img src="/assets/cube-manual-definition.gif" alt="" /></div>
		<div class="content">
			<h2>Software</h2>
			<p>A .NET Winforms desktop software drives the robot :</p>
			<ul>
				<li>Image processing to get cube initial state</li>
				<li>Real time 3D visualization with twisty.js & alg.js</li>
				<li>4x4x4 cube solver (Three Phase Reduction Solver)</li>
				<li>Runner that sequences the resolution</li>
				<li>Sharer.NET to communicate with Arduino boards</li>
			</ul>
			<p><a href="https://github.com/ballcuber/ballcuber-source-code" target="_blank"><span
						class="icon fa-github"></span>Sources on GitHub</a></p>
			<p><a href="/supervision-software">Read more...</a></p>
		</div>
	</section>
	<section class="spotlight">
		<div class="image"><img src="/assets/scan-tower.png" alt="" /></div>
		<div class="content">
			<h2>Camera scanner</h2>
			<p>The scan tower allows to get images from the cube. A custom algorithm that uses OpenCV allows to identify
				facets color.</p>
			<p><a href="/color-detection">Read more...</a></p>
		</div>
	</section>
	<section class="spotlight">
		<div class="image"><img src="/assets/3d-print.png" alt="" /></div>
		<div class="content">
			<h2>3D printing</h2>
			<p>Most parts are 3D printed with an Ultimaker 3D printer and PLA material.</p>
			<p><a href="/3d-print/">Read more...</a></p>
		</div>
	</section>
</section>

<!-- Three -->
<section id="three" class="wrapper style3 special">
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		<header class="major">
			<h2>Next Steps !</h2>
			<p>To claim the world record, we have to solve the cube faster than <strong>00:01:18s</strong> !</p>
			<p>Current average resolution time is about</p>
			<p
				style="text-align:center;font-size:3em;margin-top: 1em;margin-bottom:1em;color:crimson;font-weight: bold;">
				00:03:20s</p>
			<p>Here is what we need to improve it :</p>
		</header>
		<ul class="features" style="margin:0">
			<li class="icon fa-cubes">
				<h3>More accurate 3D printing</h3>
				<p>Our current prototype has too much cutting clearance which sometimes causes collision. For next
					version, parts should have a 0.05mm print precision.</p>
			</li>
			<li class="icon fa-gears">
				<h3>Faster motors</h3>
				<p>The resolution time is about 3min30s. The limit is due to the slow stepper motors. To be fast, we
					would like to use industrial brushless motors.</p>
			</li>

			<li class="icon fa-reddit">
				<h3>Comment on Reddit</h3>
				<blockquote class="reddit-card" data-card-created="1588325664"><a
						href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Cubers/comments/g6k1j5/4x4x4_rubiks_cube_solving_robot/">4x4x4
						Rubik's Cube solving robot</a> from <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/Cubers">r/Cubers</a>
				</blockquote>
				<script async src="//embed.redditmedia.com/widgets/platform.js" charset="UTF-8"></script>
			</li>
			<li class="icon fa-pencil">
				<h3>Article on Arduino blog</h3>
				<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blog.arduino.cc/2020/08/24/the-ballcuber-is-a-robotic-device-capable-of-solving-a-4x4x4-rubiks-cube/"
					target="_blank"><img src="/assets/arduino.svg" style="width: 50%"/></a></p>
				<p>Rubik’s cubes are traditionally 3x3x3, and have been solved by robotic systems in a variety of
					different ways. But what about a 4x4x4 variant? Such a device presents expanded solving challenges,
					which creators Thibault and Florent were able to address with their BallCuber contraption...</p>
				<p><a href="https://blog.arduino.cc/2020/08/24/the-ballcuber-is-a-robotic-device-capable-of-solving-a-4x4x4-rubiks-cube/"
						target="_blank">[Read more]</a></p>
			</li>
		</ul>
	</div>
</section>

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		<header>
			<h2>We need you !</h2>
			<p>If you are interested in this project, or want to help us, do not hesitate to contact us !</p>
		</header>
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			<li><a href="/contact-us" class="button fit special">Contact us</a></li>
		</ul>
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</section>