HKU Engineering Team Clinches Back-to-Back Victory at Robocon Hong Kong 2026
The teams Sapientia and Virtus of the HKU Robocon group from the Faculty of Engineering at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) clinched multiple awards at this year's "Robocon Hong Kong Contest 2026", winning the Championship, Second Runner-up respectively, and Best Team Spirit Award and Best Performance Award. As champion, the team Sapientia will represent Hong Kong as the home team at the upcoming "ABU Robocon 2026" in August, competing against 15 countries and regions.
Organised by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), in collaboration with the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, the Hong Kong Computer Society, and Radio Television Hong Kong, the Hong Kong contest featured 15 teams of over 300 students from nine local higher education institutions. Centred on the theme "Kung Fu Quest", the year's competition celebrates the timeless art of Chinese traditional Kung Fu and the pursuit of excellence.
Each participating team was required to deploy two robots to complete three tasks: first assembling "weapons", then collecting "martial arts secrets" (scrolls), and finally using the secrets to challenge a "giant Tic-Tac-Toe" game. The final round put the teams' real-time strategic capabilities to the test, requiring them to swiftly read their opponents, flexibly adjust their tactics, and react with precision within the time limit, embodying the wisdom and strategy of martial arts.
The two HKU teams adopted complementary tactical approaches in the arena. Team Sapientia deployed an offensive strategy, with its robot capable of collecting one weapon and seven manuals to build a substantial supply for active engagement. Meanwhile, Team Virtus focused on a defensive approach, equipping its robot to secure two weapons and five manuals, allowing it to switch effectively between offensive and defensive roles. The impressive performance of both teams during the fierce competition successfully swept the Championship and Second Runner-up, marking another year of outstanding performance following HKU Robocon's victory last year.
Team captain Randolph Wendi Zhong, a fourth-year Mechanical Engineering student, expressed great excitement about leading the team to a second consecutive championship. "Last year's victory was a tremendous encouragement, motivating us to stay united and dedicate an entire year to rigorous preparation for this year's competition. Robocon challenges us not only in innovative mechanical design and the practical application of engineering knowledge, but also in teamwork and communication. I believe our success was driven by the robots' stable performance and quick on-site responsiveness, which were made possible through extensive simulated matches and our ability to adjust strategies flexibly. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the HKU Faculty of Engineering and the Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing for their continuous support, providing us with the venue and resources needed to test on a simulated competition field and steadily enhance our robots' capabilities."
The HKU Robocon team has engaged in continuous testing, refinement, and redesign of their robotic systems since they received the competition rules in August last year. Randolph explained, "Team Sapientia's R1 robot has now evolved into its third generation, while the R2 robot has reached its fourth generation. This year's competition presented heightened complexity, requiring close coordination between robots. Teams were tasked with collaboratively collecting game props and completing a "tic-tac-toe" challenge. To address this, we integrated LiDAR technology to enhance positioning accuracy and object recognition. For the fully autonomous R2 robot, we conducted extensive programme debugging to achieve an optimal balance between speed and stability."
"It is an honour to represent HKU on the global stage. We are motivated to build on our success and strive for another victory," said Randolph.
HKU Robocon is a student interest group of the Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing of the Faculty of Engineering. The Virtus and Sapientia teams comprise 55 students from engineering and science backgrounds. Supervised by Dr. HH Cheung, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Data and Systems Engineering and Dr. Match Ko, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the two HKU Robocon teams showcased exceptional talent and innovation. The HKU Robocon team is also supported by a number of faculty members and staff, including Professor Leslie George Tham, Professor Kit Chui and Mr. Derek KC Tong.
Dr. Cheung praised the teams' extraordinary achievements, stating, "We are so proud of the HKU Robocon team, for their dedication, creativity, and teamwork. We look forward to their continued success at ABU Robocon 2026, inspiring more students to excel in technology and engineering."
About HKU Robocon: https://innowings.engg.hku.hk/robocon/
About Robocon Hong Kong Contest
The "Robocon Hong Kong Contest" is an annual innovation and technology contest organized by HKSTP, aimed at nurturing local talent, promoting engineering and IT knowledge, and advancing Hong Kong's innovative technology onto the international stage. For more details about Robocon Hong Kong Contest 2026: https://www.roboconhk.com/2026/index.html
