Jakarta, INTI - Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) has once again demonstrated its strength in robotics as its Brido WCT Robotics Team secured a place in the national finals of the 2026 Indonesian Robot Contest (KRI) in the Indonesian ABU Robot Contest (KRAI) division. The national competition is scheduled to take place at Universitas Jember from July 9–12, 2026.
Before reaching the national stage, the team successfully passed a rigorous proposal evaluation and virtual inspection conducted by Indonesia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) on June 11, 2026. Following the assessment, the official list of qualified teams was announced on June 18.
The national KRAI competition serves as more than a domestic robotics championship. It is the final selection stage for Indonesian universities competing to earn the opportunity to represent the country at ABU Robocon 2026, which will be held in Hong Kong.
Tackling the “Kung Fu Quest” Challenge
This year’s competition adopts the "Kung Fu Quest" theme, inspired by traditional martial arts. Each team must deploy two robots, Robot 1 (R1) and Robot 2 (R2), that work together to complete a series of complex tasks across three competition zones: the Martial Club, Meihua Forest, and the Tic-Tac-Toe Arena.
The challenge begins in the Martial Club, where both robots collaborate to assemble a traditional weapon by attaching a spearhead to its shaft. They then move to the Meihua Forest to collect Kung Fu Scrolls while using advanced sensors to distinguish authentic scrolls from strategically placed fake ones.
The final stage takes place in the Tic-Tac-Toe Arena, where collected scrolls must be arranged vertically or diagonally on a game board. Competition rules also allow robots to use their assembled weapons to knock down an opponent’s scrolls, adding a strategic element to the contest and creating the opportunity to achieve the highest victory title, Kung Fu Master.
According to Haris Idrak Haikal, leader of the Brido WCT team, this year's challenge is considerably more demanding than previous editions due to its emphasis on mechanical integration and full robot autonomy. Robot 2, in particular, must operate entirely without manual control, requiring highly reliable autonomous navigation and decision-making capabilities.
Haris explained that success depends not only on speed but also on precise coordination between the two robots and well-planned strategies for controlling the Tic-Tac-Toe board during the final stage of the competition.
He added that the team spent two months designing and building the robots from the ground up, supported by senior team members and faculty advisors throughout the development process.
As preparations continue for the national finals in Jember, the Brido WCT team is focused on fine-tuning its sensor systems, improving weapon assembly accuracy, and refining competition strategies to minimize errors and maximize performance. With strong institutional support and months of intensive preparation, the team aims to deliver its best performance and earn a place on the international stage.
Conclusion
As the Brido WCT Robotics Team prepares for the national KRI finals, the competition represents both a test of engineering excellence and a gateway to the international stage. With advanced autonomous robotics, strategic innovation, and strong institutional support, UNAIR aims to secure a place at ABU Robocon 2026 and showcase Indonesia’s growing capabilities in robotics.
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