Hanoi (VNA) – The robot creation contest Robocon Vietnam 2026 officially got underway in Hanoi on May 26 under the theme of "Kung Fu Quest", bringing together 36 teams from 21 universities, colleges and vocational institutions nationwide.
The preliminary round is being held from May 26 to 27, during which teams demonstrate their robots and compete for points to secure places in the next stage.
The finals will take place from May 29 to 31, with teams competing head-to-head through the group stage, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
More than just a major technology competition for engineering students, this year’s event provides a platform for innovation, artificial intelligence (AI) and practical industrial applications to converge.
Its theme, "Kung Fu Quest", is also that of the ABU Asia-Pacific Robot Contest (ABU Robocon), scheduled to be held this August in Hong Kong, China, where Vietnam’s champion team will represent the country.
One of the highlights of this year’s competition is its newly designed arena, inspired by East Asian martial arts culture. Robots are required not only to demonstrate speed but also precision, dexterity and tactical flexibility.
Each team operates two robots, including one that functions fully autonomously. The technological “warriors” must complete a series of tasks such as collecting and assembling weapons and navigating through a simulated bamboo forest to obtain “martial arts secrets”.
According to the organising committee, this year’s challenge places strong emphasis on programming, automation and the application of AI, requiring teams to maximise both their creativity and technical expertise.
Alongside the competition, Robocon 2026 also offers an academic exchange platform. A key event is a seminar on AI and automation applications from competition arenas to real-world manufacturing.
To enable technology enthusiasts across the country to follow the competition closely, Vietnam Television’s VTV2 channel devotes extensive coverage to the contest. The final rounds will be broadcast live./.
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