BS: How Does He Do This?

Subject: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: 282RA
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 02:58 PM

This is bizarre. You have to watch the whole thing. This guy operates by touch and not sight. Weird.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4uLRomRI7c

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: Peace
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 03:07 PM

With mirrors.

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: Peace
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 03:09 PM

The only way I could ever solve one of those things was to undo the stickers and place them back 'properly'.

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: 282RA
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 03:14 PM

The record, held by Leeann Loo, for doing it blindfolded is like 1:28 or something. The previous record-holder, Tyson Mao, believes he can break that. It turns out they are best friends. Mao's younger brother holds the world's sight record for solving one of these--10.48 seconds, if you can believe that. For some reason, Asian guys dominate this competition.

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: GUEST,BFD
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 03:50 PM

Let's see him find his way out of the cubicle.

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: Peace
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 04:05 PM

Well, that's it for me, then. But, good thing I wasn't born in an Asian country. I speak none of the languages.

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 04:15 PM

WHY does he do it?

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 04:18 PM

Because the work ethic in schools in China, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong etc is completely different to anything we have here.

They're not all super brainy, they just don't do much but study from the age of 4 till the age of 24. Their brains are well trained and as such function extremely well.

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 05:33 PM

I have an eye mask just like that one, and I can see under it easily. In fact it prevents me chair-napping, it lets so much light in. If he can't see under it, why then is he looking straight at the cube?

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: 282RA
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 06:41 PM

He's doing it blind.It's a new form of cube competition. Asking why his face pointing towards the cube is like asking why a blind person wears sunglasses.

As for why anyone would do it makes as much sense as asking why people train to box or practice fencing--or play guitar for that matter.

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 07:10 PM

Maybe the picture isn't clear on my PC? All I see is a mask above his eyes, pushed up on his forehead. It looks to me as though he is looking at it, so I didn't see why it is so extraordinary.

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: Fergie
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 07:31 PM

Ahhh! yes, but can he do it in the dark?

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 08:21 PM

I learned to solve Rubik's Cube back during the height of the puzzle's popularity (though I couldn't solve it now if my life depended on it). The solution involves performing a set series of moves. Those moves, if performed in the correct sequence, will restore the Cube regardless of its original condition. There's no "starting point" and there's no need to look at the Cube once you've memorized the sequence of moves. All you need to know is left from right, up from down, clockwise from counterclockwise, and how to count to at least three.

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: Bee
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 08:30 PM

One.... twooooo..... ah.....

Okay, I got it, I got it....

One.... Twoooooo.....

Nope, never did manage the cube.

But I'm good at all those put the bead in the little cups thingypuzzles.

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: Peace
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 08:32 PM

I was never any good at that either . . . .

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: Bee
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 08:42 PM

Peace - practice, practice, practice.

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: Peace
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 08:48 PM

LOL

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: JennyO
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 09:17 PM

It looks to me like he is doing it from memory. He starts off by looking at it and working out a series of moves in his head, then once he has them memorised, he pulls the mask down and does it from memory.

There are two things about what he does that are amazing. Firstly, the fact that he can work it out in his head that far ahead - it's the sort of thinking that allows chess players to visualise a series of moves ahead, but it involves many more moves than that. Secondly it appears that he memorises the moves into a series of groups, and is then able to recall them all - that is amazing. You see him at one point looking for a moment like he has almost forgotten one, then he recalls it.

Yes, definitely a well-trained mind!

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: 282RA
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 09:34 PM

>>There's no "starting point" and there's no need to look at the Cube once you've memorized the sequence of moves. All you need to know is left from right, up from down, clockwise from counterclockwise, and how to count to at least three.<<

You must keep in mind, for example, that the center tile on each face of the cube is the color of that cube face when the puzzle is solved.   That 180 degree turns are the same whether clockwise or counterclockwise. And so on. You practice it, you'll simply memorize the moves. This guy does it by feel. His cube appears to be notched or indented on the tiles if you look closely. He feels those and organizes them accordingly. You see him almost forget where he was at. Blindfolded Cube competition is real. This guy isn't cheating, it's simply how he plays the cube. He can't do it by sight. I think he may even be Tyson Mao, not sure.

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: 282RA
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 10:13 PM

When I said earlier that Asian guys seem to dominate this competition I was referring to a competition I had seen in the 80s, I believe, on television. A cube olympics and, as far as I can remember, each contestant was an Asian male. No one ethnicity. There were Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Asian-American, etc. Then I start hearing about Tyson Mao and his friends and family all into cube and holding world records. I mean, I'm sure there's many non-Asian cube enthusiasts that are quite good but every single one I've seen is Asian. I don't hazard a guess as to why.

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: number 6
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 10:13 PM

It's digital manipulation.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 10:33 PM

He SAYS he's doing it blind, but I don't think so. If he really IS blind, how come a mask?

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Nov 06 - 12:55 AM

JennyO, thanks for noting he put the mask on...I didn't watch enough to see that the first time round.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 20 Nov 06 - 08:19 AM

WYSIWIG - "doing something blind" doesn't mean you are blind, it means you do it without being able to see it. The mask makes that a reality.

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Nov 06 - 09:10 AM

I don't think so-- read my first post.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Nov 06 - 09:31 AM

I think I can echo Giok...


WHY does he do it?


He needs to get out and find himself a girl... being that dexterous is a postive boon then!!


LTS

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: GUEST,282RA
Date: 20 Nov 06 - 10:41 PM

>>WHY does he do it?<<

Maybe he doesn't have a computer to post endlessly in online forums and develop his mind. Poor devil.

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 21 Nov 06 - 05:40 AM

Pah! He wasn't even standing up in hammock and whistling the Marseillaise at the some time...

:D (tG)

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: GUEST,282RA
Date: 21 Nov 06 - 08:35 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWgmpZlpASU&NR

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 22 Nov 06 - 04:27 PM

Susan, as a former magician, I know that you can almost always see UNDER a blindfold (down your nose, so to speak), much as you mention. However, he's not looking down at it, as he'd have to be to do that; he's pointing his "gaze" directly at the cube.

As a matter of fact, it would be almost as amazing if a player did it that fast while looking, seems to me!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: How Does He Do This?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Nov 06 - 07:24 PM

Click to watch a robot solve a Rubik's cube.