# The cube as an energy source (German article)



## deepSubDiver (Apr 18, 2010)

> Könnten Neugier und Rastlosigkeit die Energiequellen der Zukunft werden? Darauf setzt jedenfalls der Designer Zheng Weixi. Er glaubt, dass man die Energie, die Tüftler antreibt, ausbeuten kann, um Strom zu erzeugen. Viel wird dabei zwar nicht herauskommen, aber immerhin, so hofft Weixi, doch genug, um kleine Elektrogeräte - MP3-Player, Handys und ähnliches - mit Strom zu versorgen.
> 
> Magic Charger nennt er sein Konzept eines Mini-Kraftwerks, das auf der Grundidee von Rubik's Cube basiert. Seit den achtziger Jahren treibt dieser sogenannte magische Würfel so manche Seele in den Wahnsinn. Scheinbar unlösbar scheint zu Anfang die Aufgabe, 27 Mini-Würfel, aus denen der Cube aufgebaut ist, wieder in die geordnete Ursprungsform zurückzudrehen, nachdem den Würfel jemand anders verdreht hat. Stundenlang fummeln Kinder und Erwachsene gleichermaßen an dem Ding herum, getrieben von der Hoffnung, es doch zu schaffen, die Ordnung wiederherzustellen, was nicht vielen gelingt.
> 
> Genau dieses stundenlange rastlose Suchen nach der Lösung, oder vielmehr die kinetische Energie, die beim ständigen hin- und herdrehen der Würfel aufgebracht wird, will Weixi zu Strom machen. Im Inneren befindet sich eine Batterie, die beim Drehen aufgeladen wird und den gewonnenen Strom per USB an die technischen Helferlein weitergibt.



http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/gadgets/0,1518,689395,00.html

Basically, the idea is to charge a little battery inside of the cube (by using the kinetic energy) which can transfer the energy via USB to mobile phones, MP3 players etc. Lets see whether we will be the reason all nuclear power plants can be closed ;P


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## Luigimamo (Apr 18, 2010)

Translation of full article

Could curiosity and restlessness, the energy of the future? It certainly puts the designer Zheng Weixi. He believes that it drives the energy, the inventor can exploit to generate electricity. Much will not get out of it, but nevertheless, it is hoped Weixi, but enough small electronic devices - MP3 players, cell phones and the like - to power.

Magic Charger he calls his concept of a mini-power station, which is based on the idea of Rubik's Cube. Since the eighties driving this so-called magic cube so many souls into madness. Seemingly intractable seems to start the task, 27 mini-cubes, from which the cube is built, turn back again into the ordered original shape after the cube rotated someone else has. Fiddle around for hours for children and adults alike at the thing, driven by the hope of making it but to restore order, which fails many.

This exact hours of restless search for the solution, or rather the kinetic energy that the constant turning jobs down and the die is applied will, Weixi make electricity. Inside is a battery that is recharged when turning and the lessons passed on to power via USB, the technical helpers.

Interesting read


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## LarsN (Apr 18, 2010)

This opens up for a whole new scenario:

Some guy: "eh, excuse me. Are you that person from tv solving the cube really fast?"
Me (smiling): Yes, that was me."
Some guy: "My cellphone is dead. Could you help me?"
Me (walks away): ...


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## kunz (Apr 18, 2010)

hmm interesting how much would it cost and would you have to buy a new cube or could you some how set it up in your own?


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## AndyRoo789 (Apr 18, 2010)

ZOMG.
It makes sense.

And if this could be done, it would be awesome.

Practicing, having fun, AND charging electricity.

Awesomesauce.


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## amostay2004 (Apr 18, 2010)

lol if Rowe charges his camera with his cube he will never have to stop recording


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## aronpm (Apr 18, 2010)

I'm just going to do a VERY rough estimate here. I'll use my AV cube, and a reconstruction I have. I know that this won't be accurate because of centres of mass and different velocities and stuff, but this is just a rough (over?)estimate.



Spoiler



Scramble: D' U' L' R' F L' R U2 B R B L' B2 R F L R' B L D2 U' B L2 R F
Cross - z2 R' U R' F y' U' L F' (7/7)
F2L 1 - y' L U2 L' U' y L' U' L (7/14)
F2L 2 - y U R U R' U' y' R U R' (8/22)
F2L 3 + 4 - U' R' U R U L U' L' (8/30)
OLL - (U) F R U R' U' F' (U) R U R' U R U' R' U R U2 R' (19/49)
PLL - (U) L U' R' U L' U2 R U' R' U2 R (12/61)

Total moves = 61
TPS = 61/14.34 = 4.25 TPS



Mass (4 corners and 4 edges) = 24g = 0.024 kg
Distance (diagonal) from centre of face to 1/3 distance of corner = 2.5cm = 0.25m

Now from the reconstruction, I had TPS = 4.25, and moves = 61. Therefore, one move would occur in a period of 0.235 s.

From uniform circular motion, v = 2pi*r/T = 6.532 m/s.

The kinetic energy (as mentioned in the article) from a single turn should be E = mv^2/2= 0.51 J, and the total kinetic energy from a single solve should be E = 31 J. The power from the solve would be P = W/t = 31/14.34 = 2.1 W

2.1 W doesn't sound unreaonable. That is about 1/30 (3.3%) of the power needed to run a 60W incandescent light bulb. It should be enough to power a small LED lamp though.

Can anyone see if I've made errors? Thanks.

tl;dr: I don't think it's worth it.


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## Owen (Apr 18, 2010)

How would you fit all the batterys and electronics nessesary inside such a small space without obstructing the movement?


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## Rinfiyks (Apr 18, 2010)

aronpm said:


> Distance (diagonal) from centre of face to 1/3 distance of corner = 2.5cm = 0.25m



I don't think so  nobody can move the cube at 6 m/s!
So just reduce everything by a factor of 10.

The total energy transferred in a single solve (of a frictionless cube, too) is 3 J.


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## aronpm (Apr 18, 2010)

Rinfiyks said:


> aronpm said:
> 
> 
> > Distance (diagonal) from centre of face to 1/3 distance of corner = 2.5cm = 0.25m
> ...



My bad 

Actually, if you reduce that distance by a factor of 10, the energy and power are reduced by a factor of 100.

In that case, it should be ~310 mJ and ~20 mW which apparently is enough to power a laser pointer or hearing aid (according to Wikipedia).


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## wing92 (Apr 18, 2010)

aronpm said:


> In that case, it should be ~310 mJ and ~20 mW which apparently is enough to power a laser pointer or hearing aid (according to Wikipedia).



and how does that compare to the power needed for a cell phone or mp3 player?


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## Neo63 (Apr 18, 2010)

you know that in order to power a generator (or whatever is used to generate the electricity), you need to turn the cube with much more force...

I've thought of this before but it's just not practical...at all


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## Cride5 (Apr 19, 2010)

How about using this source of energy to power a little timer display on one of the centre pieces. The powerball uses a similar concept.


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## dada222 (Apr 19, 2010)

> Since the eighties driving this so-called magic cube so many souls into madness



Lol I found this funny.


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## cincyaviation (Apr 19, 2010)

i would think the cube would be much harder to turn if your generating electricity from it


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## Raffael (Apr 20, 2010)

nice idea.
I actually had something similar in mind some time ago:
exchange the stickers with coloured Leds and power them with generating energy by turning the faces of the cube. 
would be great for cubing in the dark.


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## Lorenzo (Apr 20, 2010)

put it in a metal cube, make the grounding incorrect, and shock your friends after charging it! Metal cubes might be hard to attain. And if you do attain it, then it might be hard to turn.

Me: Here, solve it.
Them: Alright. *touches cube...ZAP*
Them: Agh! the cube doesn't like me!
Me: *takes cube back after he grounds it with his hands*
Me: What do you mean? I don't feel anything.


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## Thomas09 (Apr 20, 2010)

Okay, so if you have a cube that generate electricity you can transfer that to an object of choice? If you don't have enough energy, couldn't you just attach it to a transformer? Correct me if I'm wrong. I'm not so bright at this subject (pun not intended).


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## tarpshack (Apr 21, 2010)

Here's a design concept sheet on the Rubik's Cube Magic Charger:
http://www.yankodesign.com/2010/04/13/recharging-with-the-rubik’s-cube/

Looks like they have ideas for a couple different color schemes. I'm trying to figure out how you would solve it without accidentally pulling the charging side out all the time.

They should make a traditional colors version IMO.


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## JeffDelucia (Jun 26, 2010)

Imagine this your stackmat batteries die. You just open your cube swap the batteries and by the next time they die the ones in your cube are ready to be put back in the timer.


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## amostay2004 (Jun 26, 2010)

JeffDelucia said:


> Imagine this your stackmat batteries die. You just open your cube swap the batteries and by the next time they die the ones in your cube are ready to be put back in the timer.



Cos the batteries die all the time >_>


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## riffz (Jun 26, 2010)

Vallance could power a city with his PLL time attack.


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## Erdos (Jun 28, 2010)

Let's say it did generate some electricity. Now then why would you expect it to turn as fast as your main speed cubes? Instead, think of an unmodded storebought with even more friction and less (probably close to none) cutting corner capabilities.


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## ariasamie (Jun 28, 2010)

maybe we can use the produced electricity for the cube itself. so when we are not at home, it can get solved itself and do some avg's of 12 while we can't reach it or don't have to do some avgs.


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## amostay2004 (Jun 28, 2010)

ariasamie said:


> maybe we can use the produced electricity for the cube itself. so when we are not at home, it can get solved itself and do some avg's of 12 while we can't reach it or don't have to do some avgs.



wat


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## dada222 (Oct 15, 2011)

This article puts this into perspective
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/13/tech/innovation/pavegen-kinetic-pavements/index.html


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