Teenager Builds Robot to Solve Rubik's Cube

A 13-year-old student from St Malachy's College in north Belfast has constructed a remarkable Lego robot capable of solving a Rubik's cube. Crafted by young Ruarcc in the school’s newly established creative digital technology hub, this innovation uses 5,000 lines of Python code and colour sensors to solve the puzzle from any initial configuration.

Ruarcc initiated his journey into creating puzzle-solving robots at the age of 12. He developed multiple prototypes before successfully creating the current robot. Despite initial skepticism from teacher Clare McGrath, who stated that she "didn't believe" in the robot's functionality at first, Ruarcc’s perseverance paid off. "Now that it's working, it's really rewarding, and it feels great," said Ruarcc. He is considering a future career in the IT industry, potentially as a software engineer.

The hub that enabled this innovation was a vision proposed by school principal Paul McBride. His plan to refurbish an old lecture theatre into a digital creativity hub materialized with support from both the Belfast Charitable Society and the James Kane Foundation. The hub is accessible to students and staff across multiple schools in north Belfast, aiming to cultivate digital skills.

Claire McGrath, the senior leader for creative skills at the college, highlighted the launch of a new Key Stage Three curriculum that incorporates block-based coding. She emphasized the importance of creative opportunities, saying, "Creativity is an amazing skill, so we need to be providing opportunities in school to see where they can take things – that builds the innovators of the future." She encouraged students by giving them kits and the freedom to build whatever they wanted, asking them to impress her.

The innovative hub and the introduction of digital-focused curricula are significant steps toward enhancing students' abilities to explore and learn beyond the confines of traditional classroom settings. According to Mr. McBride, "We have 10 or 11 post-primary schools from north Belfast coming here, and we want them all to use it. By the end of our third year, we'll have 6,000 students and over 100 staff using the facilities. It's a real leveller." This initiative is aimed at fostering creativity and technical skills, preparing students to become future innovators.

Overall, the accomplishment of Ruarcc and the establishment of the digital technology hub illustrate the potential of innovative educational approaches in nurturing young talent and enhancing digital literacy.

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