History
A few informations about
Ernő Rubik
Ernõ Rubik was born on 13th July 1944 in Budapest. His father was
a flight engineer, who established a firm that makes gliders.
He graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at Budapest University of Tecnology in 1967.
He finished the Budapest College of Applied Arts in 1971, where he learnt statuary and architecture.
Between 1968 and 1975 he worked as a builder-designer.
Between 1970 and 1988 he was an instructor, then a lecturer and then a docent on the Budapest College of Applied Arts.
He worked as the editor in chief of the journal called "...And Game!" in 1982-83.
Since 1983 he has been the leader of the Rubik Studio.
Between 1982 and 1988 he established three foundations.
He has been a titular professor since 1987, in 1990 he became the president of the Hungarian Engineering Academy, and since 1996 he has been its honorary president.
He got the National Award in 1983, and the Gábor Dénes Prize in 1995.
He also invented some logical games: Rubik's cube (1975), Rubik's Snake (1977), Rubik's Magic (1985).
Nowadays he deals with architecture and making of computer games.
About Rubik's Cube:
Initially Rubik wanted to indite the 2x2x2 cube. The first problem was how to put the pieces together to make it rotatable around its all three axis. At first he tried to join the pieces with rubber rings but this was unsuccessful because after some time the rings broke away.
He also tried to join the elements with magnets, but the cube came apart easily. So he made strange-shaped cubes. These cubes - because of their shape - kept themselves together.
Later he marked the sides with different colours, because he wanted to see how does the pieces move compared to themselves. Then Rubik recognised - only after the final evolving - that the cube is not only good for illustrate spatial movements (that's why he made it), that is also a good game so this
is negotiable. Rubik paid particular attention to the colours of the cube; the opposite (paralell) sides vary in the yellow component. So the white becomes yellow, the red becomes orange and the blue becomes green.
The most important thing why the cube was a succes is that it is three-dimensional and it is always in one piece.
Patent:
Rubik wanted to patent the cube in 1975, but he received the permissions only in 1977. In the end of this year the first cubes appeared in the shops.
Only in Hungary about one million cubes were sold in 1980 (Every 10th person had one!). At the same time Rubik's cube spread about in foreign countries too by an American firm called IDEAL TOY.
It became popular very quickly around the world and it is still popular.
Awards:
BNV Prize, 1978
Niveau Award of the Cultural Ministry, 1979
In 1980 he got awards in many countries: England, Germany, France. In England he received the Toy of the Year 1980 award, which is for only one toy in a year!
In 1981 the New York Museum of Modern Art added the cube to its architectural and design collection.
Some quotes:
"The cube and its - not so easy - solution allowed me to do what I like. I don't have other commitments - for many people work means a negative thing because of these commitments. For me it is positive.
Of course I can understand them because the "forced labour" is not good. But the willingly done reasonable work is quite good. Life gives many thing, and I wish everyone to reach this point. Of course there can be found that "reasonable thing" in every activities. Sometimes it's difficult."
/Ernõ Rubik/
"I am not a man who always wants to outstrip himself. The essence is that my job must make me happy."
/Ernõ Rubik/
"Easiest colour to solve on a Rubik's Cube: black. Simply remove all the little coloured stickers, and each of side of the cube will now be the original colour (black). According to the instructions, this means the puzzle is solved."
/Steve Rubenstein/
"Cubing exacts to create science. He has to make experiments, theories to spoil them and try another way. This is the only riddle which entices you to create a whole branch of science."
/Bernie Greenberg/
Researcher of Artifical Intelligence
"Did Rubik and Ishige dream that their investigations give a model to the people which can picture the beauty of the science?"
/Douglas R. Hofstadter/
Phisics professor of MIT
"I read an article; its author wanted to give me to believe that somebody made a cube which is rotatable in all three directions. But I can prove that it is impossible."
/Unknown/
One of Rubik's students
Some interesting things, recommended to read:
In 1980 Augustus Judd (who is - by his own admission - cube dependent) established an organization called 'Cubaholics Anonymous' to dishabituate the dependents.
Rubic's Cube is famous at clinics too:
Diseases: Using the cube too much might cause two main problems: A
Rubik wrist and Rubik fingers. These are articular diseases.
Furthermore there is the Rubik's cube dependence. That is a type of the game mania, and it is similar to smoking so it is really hard to fall out of the habit.
Therapy: Rubik's Cube can also heal some diseases. One of these is the tennis elbow; the tennis player
can rest his elbow-joints. Another illness the cube can heal is a type of the schizophrenia. The patient cannot concentrate to a concrete thing; Rubik's Cube can help to learn this faculty of concentration.
What I wrote down above is not a joke! Those are real facts!