Published on
Wednesday, 2 September 2026
Hong Kong, ITS News — The ABU Robocon team from the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) , with its Richie robot, has once again shone at the international level. After successfully defending its first place nationally at the 2026 ABU Indonesia Robot Contest (KRAI), the team representing Indonesia at the international ABU Robocon 2026 in Hong Kong last week also won the Best Idea Award and the ROHM Award .
ITS Richie Robocon Team Leader Muhammad Najmi Ihsan expressed his gratitude for his team’s achievements at ABU Robocon 2026. According to him, the success of bringing home two international awards is a testament to the team’s consistent performance throughout the series of competitions.
In winning the Best Idea Award , the ITS Mechanical Engineering Department student explained that his team brought mechanical innovation to the two robots they carried. The first robot relied on a three-axis arm mechanism, while the second robot was designed with a forklift -like mechanism to lift the Kung Fu Scroll . “Both mechanics use stainless steel material with a thickness of 0.8 millimeters,” explained Najmi, his nickname.
In line with the mechanical development, the Pekanbaru-born young man also revealed that his team has updated the robot’s communication system. The team replaced the previous light-based communication technology with a QR code-based system. Furthermore, the robot’s capabilities have been enhanced by developing an automated program to handle dropped boxes.
Not only did the ITS Richie Robocon Team win the Best Idea Award , but their use of ROHM electronic devices also earned them the ROHM Award . This award was presented by ROHM Semiconductor Japan, one of the sponsors of ABU Robocon 2026 Hong Kong. “ROHM electronic devices account for approximately 10 percent of the total components of the ITS team’s robot,” Najmi explained.
More than just an award, Najmi believes that the experience of participating in KRAI and ABU Robocon has provided invaluable lessons for his team. He noted that the sharing sessions at ABU Robocon provided an opportunity to exchange knowledge about robots, programming, and mechanics among teams from various countries.
In closing, Najmi expressed his gratitude for the team’s achievement in reaching the top eight at ABU Robocon. He believed this result demonstrated that the hard work and enthusiasm of all team members had paid off. He expressed his hope that the team would achieve even greater success in the coming year.
The ITS Richie Robocon Team’s achievements at this international event reflect ITS’s commitment to fostering innovation and technological development through education. This effort aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) point 4 on Quality Education and point 9 on Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. (ITS Public Relations)
Reporter: Naurah Fitri