AI is Really Great at Solving the Marble Maze

I have written over 20 blog posts where I test AI text to image generators to see how they do making mazes (poorly). It is a lot of fun, and I have gone back and re-tested some of the same generators to see if they improved year later (they did). If you have an AI generator you like, I may have tested it. If you want a topline view of this project check these 3 main posts out where you can find links to the other posts:

Comparison of 12 AI generating websites - Who did mazes the best ?

What I learned using AI to make maze art

Making Mazes with AI - One Year Later

All of that was a set-up for something a bit different, but the same. So, while AI does a poor job making mazes, it is excellent at solving them ! And not just excellent, world record breaking ! The maze in question is the very challenging marble maze. You may have had one as a child. I have never been able to beat it. Well an open source AI robot, the CyberRunner AI robot apparently is a whiz at marble mazes. To be fair it did get 6 hours practice before the record run. Can you imagine setting a world record of ANY KIND after just 6 hours of practice ? Check out this video featuring the record vs. expert human competitors. The AI even learned to cheat (later corrected so it stopped cheating) to solve it faster using clever shortcuts.

So this makes me wonder, what things AI will be able to solve next ?

Nature is also good at solving mazes:

So a Liquid Can Solve a Maze How Exactly ?

Here are so other Marble Maze posts I have done:

So a Liquid Can Solve a Maze How Exactly ?

Under things I never thought I would ever read, apparently there is a type of liquid that can solve a maze. Surely that is not real. But it is. If you want to make a guess what 3 things make up this concoction do it now.

The "Intelligent" Maze Solving Liquid

  • How it works: Scientists have created a liquid that can navigate a maze without any external guidance. This "intelligent" liquid is a mixture of soap, milk, and ink. The key is the combination of surfactants (found in soap and milk) which create a resistance gradient that guides the liquid along the correct path.

  • Surface Tension: The driving force behind this phenomenon is surface tension. Surfactants reduce the surface tension around the ink, initiating movement (Marangoni Flows). The milk adds another surfactant, creating a "landscape of varying resistances" that helps the liquid find the most efficient route.

    • What are Marangoni Flows?

  • Surface Tension Gradients: Marangoni flows are the movement of fluids caused by differences in surface tension. Surface tension is the force that holds the surface of a liquid together. This movement caused by surface tension gradients is what allows the intelligent liquid to navigate the maze.

  • Causes of Gradients: These surface tension differences can arise from:

    • Temperature Gradients: When some parts of a liquid surface are warmer than others, the warmer areas have lower surface tension.  

    • Concentration Gradients (WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH): Variations in the concentration of substances (like surfactants) across a liquid surface also lead to surface tension gradients

  • Potential Applications: This discovery could have significant implications for fluid transport in complex systems, such as drug delivery within the body or improving lung health.

    Check out the video below on the maze solving phenomenon.

This is not the only way a liquid can solve a maze, but it is the most interesting! While the 'intelligent' liquid utilizes Marangoni flows, other liquids can solve mazes through different scientific principles. Here are 2 other known ways liquids can solve mazes using science.

Other Maze-Solving Liquids

  • Chemical Reactions: Some experiments use chemical reactions to guide liquids through mazes. For example, a liquid containing a chemical that reacts with a substance placed at the end of the maze can be used. The reaction creates a "trail" that the liquid follows.

  • Acids and Bases: Another approach involves using acids and bases. By placing an acid at one end of the maze and a base at the other, a liquid containing an indicator (a substance that changes color in the presence of an acid or base) can be guided through the maze as the acid and base neutralize each other.

Important Considerations for Creating Liquid Mazes

  • Maze Design: The design of the maze plays a crucial role in whether a liquid can solve it. Simple mazes with clear paths are easier for liquids to navigate, while more complex mazes may require specific liquid properties or chemical reactions. This sounds similar to how humans solve mazes!

  • Liquid Properties: The viscosity, surface tension, and chemical reactivity of the liquid are all important factors that determine its ability to solve a maze.

  • Experimental Setup: The way the liquid is introduced into the maze and the overall experimental setup can also influence the results.

Additional Resources

You may have heard about this hot new thing called AI, which can also solve mazes apparently !

AI is Really Great at Solving the Marble Maze

You Might Like:

What I learned using AI to make maze art

10 Frequently Asked Questions About Mazes with Answers

10 of the Most Frequently asked Questions about Labyrinths, with Answers

Maze Comic Book Cover #73 - Bark to the Future

Issue #73 in my comic book cover series is called Bark to the Future and features the maze of a dog, specifically a Rat Terrier. The DeLorean was made using ai. Who do you think would be the “Doc” in this comic ? Another dog ? An owner ? And what would the dog’s name be ? Marty McDog ? Thinking out loud.

My comic book cover mazes can be found in 2 places:

Comic Book Cover Mazes - Year 1 (Issues #1-53)

Comic Book Cover Mazes - Year 2

Rat Terrier Maze Comic Book

To receive a book of my first year of comic book book mazes (Volume 1 with mazes #1-53) you can sign up for my book alerts - any time I launch a free maze book, or paid book (on Amazon), I will send you a note about the new book launch.

Maze of the Week 46 Redux - The Free Stamp (MOTW#177)

I think of all the maze updates I have done this is the most different before and after. The initial maze was simple and easy. It could easily be solved by children. For this project the maze did not change, but the surroundings certainly did. Here is my original post:

Maze of the Week #46 - Free Stamp Maze

Here are the enhancements I made to improve the maze:

1. Added the Ground. The maze was floating on the page but no more.

2. Changes Pathway Size. I widened the pathway transitions between colors from anywhere between 50% to 150% so they can be seen more easily.

3. Title Changed. I added the park name, and changed font sizes of labels.

4. Color Changed. I changed the color of the stamp to an off white from pure white to better match the true color of the sculpture.

5. Added Structure Details. I added the stabilizing structure on the ground below the stamp.

6. Arrows Replaced. I replaced the arrows with a written start and goal to allow me to create background items more easily.

7. Changed Size. I reduced the maze size (height minus 1.5 inch) and re-oriented everything down half an inch to reduce the grassy area and sky portions.

8. Added Background details. I added many trees and bushes to the background which are textured. The trees include leaves. I added the large building in the background with color and window details. I may have put more work into the building than the original maze ! If you are a Clevelander you know the building. I added the wall behind on back right bottom between the street and the building. I added the sky. I added the sandy area under the stamp near the new support. All of these things make a more realistic maze.

9. Added Shadows. I added a shadow on the ground from the stamp and another from the largest tree.

This is a big unveil. Before and After:

Looks and feels like a totally different maze to me. I prefer the new one by a wide margin !

Some data: The new file is 1,210MB from 59MB.

I will be replacing the homepage with the new maze going forward. You can find the maze download there !

If you like this type of content check out all of my case studies:

A Collection of Maze Design Case Studies to Improve your Mazes

Happy maze-ing !