Ernö Rubik has not given up on further inventions after the famous cube

To help architecture students at the University of Applied Arts better understand the three-dimensional world, he created a cube...

Budapest/Prague - Hungarian architect and designer Ernö Rubik became famous in the early 1980s when his six-colored cube found fans around the world. The inventor, who will celebrate his seventieth birthday on July 13, later tried to come up with a similar hit, but none of his puzzles surpassed the fame of the Rubik's Cube. However, its creator need not be disappointed - also because even after 30 years, the six-colored cube remains one of the most popular puzzles.
With the emergence of computer games and consoles in the late 80s and early 90s, it seemed that mechanical toys like the Rubik's Cube were on their way out; however, at the beginning of the 21st century, thanks in part to the internet, this seemingly simple puzzle experienced a resurgence. Recordings featuring various strategies for solving the Rubik's puzzle began appearing on video sharing site Youtube. The 2006 film "The Pursuit of Happyness," in which the puzzle played a significant role in Will Smith's hands, also contributed to the Cube's revival.
Solving the Rubik's Cube is not very difficult; with a bit of patience, even a five-year-old child can manage it. "To be able to solve the Cube, you have to be endowed with a scientific way of thinking to a certain extent," said its creator, who now dedicates his time to promoting his most famous invention - and also monitoring patent rights. Since its introduction to the global market in 1980, the cube has not only been the subject of lawsuits for patent infringement but also a model for producing unauthorized copies.
On the other hand, piracy serves as evidence of the success of the Hungarian puzzle. "The Rubik’s Cube can be used in engineering education, in mathematics education, as well as an example of the relationships between design, the work of engineers, mathematics, and creativity," recently praised Rubik's invention the head of the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey. "I can't take credit for the Cube's success; it simply happened. The power of success lay in the Cube itself," the author said, perhaps unnecessarily modest.
Arranging 54 colored squares so that six sides of the same color emerge has become a life challenge for some people. Mathematicians have calculated that any scrambled cube can be solved in a maximum of 20 moves. Speed-solving competitions are often held, and the current record, set last March, stands at an incredible five and a half seconds. That is in the human category; a robot built from Lego and controlled by a smart mobile phone recently achieved it in just three and a quarter seconds.
   "I appreciate all the people who approach the Cube with love and enjoy solving it... Thanks to those who want to compete, the Cube is more popular," Rubik shared, who does not disregard his other inventions, even though most of them are known mainly to passionate puzzle fans. "That certainly doesn't mean the others aren’t good. If you look closely, you will find that they are still on the market. But the Cube overshadows them all," added the man who also invented the once-popular snake cube.
The Budapest native had a close affinity with technology from a young age; his father was a respected aircraft designer and had a very successful glider to his name. "When I was small, I loved manual work, chess, and math problems. I learned many things from my father," he once said. He studied architecture and interior design and in the early 1970s tried to establish himself as an architect. Ultimately, however, he realized that teaching suited him better, and he began lecturing on constructions and space at the University of Applied Arts.
However, he encountered "spatial blindness" among students. To help them better understand the three-dimensional world, he created the Cube. However, Rubik’s educational tool soon left the academic ground and appeared on the Hungarian market in 1978 - after three years of preparation - causing a sensation. The real boom came only when American company Ideal Toy took over the production and distribution. Between 1980 and 1982 alone, around one hundred million pieces of the puzzle were sold worldwide, making Rubik a famous and wealthy man.