ALMATY — Shakhnazar Kamalov, a seventh-grade student from Astana, has built a smart robot capable of cracking a Rubik’s Cube in just 60 seconds, signaling the rising technical prowess of Kazakhstan’s young digital generation.
Shakhnazar Kamalov is a seventh-grade student at Astana-based Alimkhan Yermekov School-Lyceum No. 38. Photo credit: Astana city administration
The project was built using the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 kit, with the primary objective of assembling the cube quickly and accurately, according to the Astana city administration’s press service.
The robot uses specialized sensors to scan each face of the Rubik’s Cube, detect color arrangements, and automatically choose the optimal algorithm required to solve it. Kamalov programmed the entire system on the EV3 Classroom platform using Python, giving him full control over the robot’s rotation and angles.
The project aligns closely with Kazakhstan’s broader push to integrate digitalization, robotics, and AI in classrooms, as robotics is emerging as one of the most dynamic fields, blending engineering skills with creative problem-solving.
The Kazakh national robotics team recently reached a milestone, claiming its fourth consecutive world championship title at the FIRST Global Challenge 2025 in Panama City.
