Universal Robotics Challenge 2023 Results

We're incredibly happy to have finished the 7th Universal Robotics Challenge
with an astounding number of participants.
Click the button for each division below to see this year's winners.
We'd like to offer a heartfelt thanks to all of our contestants!

From the Committee

This year's Universal Robotics Challenge was our first in-person competition in quite a while, bringing kids from across the globe to Osaka, Japan. We are incredibly grateful for this opportunity.
While our Idea Contest and Virtual Robotics divisions remain online, it was a true joy to see how many kids decided to rise to the occasion.
Both of these divisions urged participants to find ways to combat climate change based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and every entry showed exceptional polish far beyond the things we see and use every day. To think they were all made using ArtecRobo!
In our Virtual Robotics division, we saw the most successful participants work through every hurdle to create programs with an absolutely incredible level of finish.
Incidentally, designing the society of the future will be the theme of Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. We truly hope that the efforts of this year's participants make that future all the brighter.
Finally, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to those both here in Japan and around the world who helped to make this Universal Robotics Challenge a rousing success.
Etsu Fujiwara
Committee Member and
President of
Artec Co., Ltd.
Regular Division
1st
Score
2990
Name
Rito
Jinya
Kenshin
Syun
[Mie (Japan), Grade 6]
Eishinkan Learning School
From the Winners
It's our first Universal Robotics Challenge so we were super nervous. Our robot didn't work in the first round like it did in the trial, so we were wondering what happened.
We tried a retry but the fix didn't work and it broke again. We thought it was over. We thought the second round was our last chance so we made three tries in a row during our second trial run that all went well so we thought we had it.
Then the second round came. We had our fingers crossed during it and everything went perfectly.
That's when we all got really happy.
This competition helped teach us that feeling of achievement when you've done everything you can and how important it is to try your best. Getting first place really makes it all worth it.
2nd
Score
2600
Name
Shoma Iwasaki
Itsuki Morioka
Rin Morioka
Sora Fuzawa
Rikuto Kanemoto
[Shizuoka (Japan), Grade 5]
Gyoshu RSI Starfish
From the Winners
The five of us are in the same class and the ICT Club at school. We chose the name starfish because there are five of us, and the letters RSI have the initials of all of our first names!
We're really happy to get second place in the Regular Division. One special thing about our robot is that it can use its arm to pick up packages which are laying down and set them upright. This let us go for higher places and a higher score.
We were in second place during the preliminaries, so we brainstormed together and modified our robot to stack two packages at once to maximize our score.
The hardest part was staying within the size limit and getting the angles right. We had to rebuild it so many times and fine-tune our program. It was also pretty hard to make an arm that could stack packages without them falling.
We practiced with the arm so many times before the finals. It was kind of sad that it dropped the package at the end. We want to get first place next year!
3rd
Score
1960
Name
Ka Hei Ip
Tsz Kit Ngan
Yat Sum Tam
Lok Lam Wong
Wing Ho Ng
[Hong Kong, Grade 6]
S.K.H. Chu Oi Primary School (Lei Muk Shue)
From the Winners
In the past few years, COVID-19 has swept across the globe, and Hong Kong has been no exception. In these uncertain and restrictive days, we found our passion for robotics and discovered solace in it.
After overcoming numerous challenges, we finally stood out in the post-pandemic Hong Kong Robotics Championship and successfully represented Hong Kong in the URC 2023 international competition, ultimately achieving third place.
Thanks to the organizers' enthusiasm and dedication to the development of robotics, we had the rare opportunity to interact and compete with students from different countries after the pandemic. As representatives of Hong Kong on the international stage, we feel immensely proud and responsible.
This third-place finish is a recognition of our hard work, team support, and unwavering belief in ourselves. The URC 2023 provided us with a platform to interact with robotics enthusiasts from diverse backgrounds, fostering cross-cultural exchanges and inspiring deep discussions.
The knowledge and insights we have gained undoubtedly will play a role in my future explorations in the field of robotics, bringing us closer to our aspirations.
We hope to have the opportunity to participate in such meaningful events in the future.
Advanced Division
1st
Score
2250
Name
Takehisa
Naoyuki
Syotaro
[Mie (Japan), Grade 8 & 9]
Eishinkan Learning Center
From the Winners
Our team is Eishin-A and we worked hard every day to get first place. Everything went according to plan during our trial but the first actual round didn't go so well. The second round wasn't a complete success, but we're glad our robot was able to stack so high. If we ever get the chance again, we want to be prepared so everything is perfect.
2nd
Score
2250
Name
Tomoki Ohata
Takumi Matsumura
Hinata Inomata
[Mie (Japan), Grade 7, 8, & 9]
Smile Computer School
Yokosuka City Junior High School (Tomoki Ohata, Hinata Inomata)
Zushi Kaisei Junior High School (Takumi Matsumura)
From the Winners
We're super happy to get second place in a world championship. We all worked super hard to get here. During the preliminaries in Japan, we weren't sure that our robot could win on the world stage, so we decided to break it down and remake it for the finals.
We were really pressed for time and there were a lot of frustrating things and issues we had to deal with. But we really came together as a team to make the amazing robot we used at the competition.
We got the same score as the first place team, but we ended up losing because our stack of packages was shorter. Our first round went really well, but our robot didn't do what we wanted during the second round. That really got us down. But it's really nice to know that we were able to compete on the same level as first place.
We want to take this and use it to reach even higher heights next time. Thank you everybody for supporting us.
3rd
Score
1540
Name
Hong-Jin Chen
[Taiwan, Grade 8]
Taipei Private Dongshan Junior High School
From the Winner
I am thrilled to share that I clinched the 3rd place in the Advanced division of the prestigious Universal Robotics Challenge held in Japan this year, competing solo with my team, R-Express! Facing off against international powerhouses from Japan, Australia, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and the Philippines, my achievement stands as a testament to perseverance and passion. Notably, I was one of the two representative from Taiwan in this competition, which fills me with immense pride.
The journey was arduous, yet incredibly rewarding. It expanded my horizons in robotics and engineering, fostering meaningful friendships and invaluable knowledge. Surpassing teams from diverse countries, including Japan's top contenders, underscores the dedication and hard work I poured into this endeavor. I am profoundly grateful for the unwavering support from my community.
I aim to inspire fellow students, showcasing that determination and a love for technology can lead to remarkable achievements. My success in this global arena serves as a beacon, illuminating the path for others passionate about robotics and engineering. Heartfelt thanks to everyone who stood by me, empowering me to achieve this remarkable feat. Together, let's continue advancing the frontiers of innovation!
Junior Division
Platinum
Title
Smart Forest Fire Detection System (SFFDS)
Name
FAIQAH HANNAN BINTI MUHAMOD FAHMIR
FARHAH HUMAIRA BINTI MUHAMOD FAHMIR
SITI NUR ALISHA BINTI AHMAD ISA
[Malaysia, Grade 5 & 6]
SK DATUK NAN KAYA
From the Winners
We are thrilled about the chance to take part in this competition. Being able to represent our school and the country makes us pleased and proud. By participating in this competition, we can elevate our knowledge of robotics. We have the chance to succeed at the National and International levels by taking part in the competition held by Artec Co. Ltd.Even though we attend a smaller school with fewer students and from the countryside, we are proud of our abilities. Since discipline and timeliness are our strong suits, we are always disciplined and on time when we compete.
Gold
Title
Let Go Green
Name
Lee Man Yi
Wong Sze Man
Kwok Hiu Yeung Hayden
Leung Tsz Him
Wong Ching Yim
[Hong Kong, Grade 2, 3 & 4]
AD & FD OF POHL LEUNG SING TAK SCHOOL
From the Winners
It is our great honor to be awarded at the University Robotic Challenge 2023 for reconizing our teammates' efforts to this worldwide competition. This award definitely fills us with joy and accomplishment that providing us motiviation for future invention. We sincerely thank the organizer to offer us a great ArtecRobo plaform that allowing us to use Artec Blocks to create our tailor-made robot. During the competition, we learnt saving the Earth's energy and protecting our environment are essential. We are happy we can make our robot whom can generate electricity itself. The power of technogoy amazes us, especially how it can utilize renewable sources for generating power. We have to thank our school, LEUNG SHING TAK SCHOOL, always support and encouarge us to participate in various STEAM activities to gain valuable experienecs and comments from adjudicators, contestants and learn from failures. We can enhance our skills and enrich our knowedge in roboting area from time to time. We appreciate our advising teacher, Mr. John LO, to assist us to overcome all difficulites and provide guidiances patiently whatever we need during our preparation. We will continous to learn and develop more useful and environmental-friendly products to give back to the society in the furture.
Silver
Title
Plant Planting Robot
Name
Michael Ryan Chong
Ember Prinze Wong
[Philippines, Grade 5]
MGC New Life Christian Academy
From the Winners
We would like to express our deep appreciation for the 3rd Place Award you gave us in the URC Idea Contest. Making a robot that plants trees to fight climate change has been hard work that has paid off in a big way. We worked hard to finish the project, and getting third place is an honor we never thought we would get. The contest's theme, "Robots fight climate change," fit with our team's values, and we thought our robot that planted trees was a good project. Getting this award confirms our dedication and motivates us to keep working toward our goal of protecting the earth. We are truly thankful and thrilled to have won third place among so many participants from many countries. This recognition makes us even more determined to make the world a better place. Thank you so much for believing in our project and giving us this amazing chance
Finalist
Title
Smart Classroom
Name
Chen Lianyu Lucas
Cheung Yan Yuk
Lam Chun Wai Milton
Mok Hing Yu
Tam Pak Yui
[Hong Kong, Grade 3]
Hong Kong Baptist University Affiliated School Wong Kam Fai Secondary and Primary School
From the Winners
I am delighted to join the URC competition. I think it is an opportunity to extend my skills and use them at this event. The URC competition also inspired me to think about how global warming affects the world and how we can solve this problem. (Lucas Chen)
Participating in the Universal Robotics Challenge with my passionate teammates was a valuable experience. This event encouraged us to explore how technology could help save energy. I strongly believe technology could save our planet. (Austin Tam)
I loved creating the 'Smart Classroom' for the URC idea project. It felt great to address environmental issues and see the IR sensor detect movements, saving energy. Smart Classrooms can make a real difference in protecting our planet. (Emma Mok)
The competition taught me how to use technology to solve problems, brainstorm ideas, think creatively, and work collaboratively and effectively with others. Most importantly, I learned that a simple and small change can make a big difference. (Milton Lam)
Honorable Mention
Title
MOVBOT
Name
AHMAD HARIZ BIN AHMAD HAFIZ
ADDRIEL WAFEEQ BIN MUHAMAD ADLI SHAM
FARHAN RAYYAN ZIQRI BIN SYAMSULZAIDI
[Malaysia, Grade 5 & 6]
SEKOLAH KEBANGSAAN TAMAN SERI GOMBAK 2
From the Winners
Assalamualaikum and good morning I am Muhammad Hariz representing the Bonzer Kids group from Sk Taman Seri Gombak 2, Malaysia, feels proud and overwhelmed to have successfully won the Idea Challenge 2023 Competition with the theme of Climate Change. I did not expect that I would win this Competition. I would like to express my gratitude to Tech Up Malaysia for introducing the Robotic Set for us to study more deeply in the science of programming as well as giving our group the opportunity to compete at the international level in Japan. Not forgetting the teachers of SK Taman Seri Gombak 2, especially Teacher Marlina and Teacher Faris who were willing to give guidance and spend time helping us complete our project. Without their help and guidance, this success would not have been ours. Finally, I hope that this success becomes a starting point and greatly encourage myself and other students to study and explore the field of robotic. That is all from me, Thank You
Senior Division
Platinum
Title
Flame Guardian
Name
Felipe Vicente
Pin-Chien Tseng
Kai-Feng Chen
Hong-Jin Chen
[Taiwan, Grade 8]
Taipei European School
Taipei Municipal Binjiang Experimental Junior High School
Taipei Municipal Dazhi High School
Taipei Private Dongshan Junior High School
From the Winner
It is an honor to have won first place in this competition, which presented a series of challenges. Overcoming these challenges along the way proved to be instrumental in our success. Significant efforts were dedicated to background designs and programming by our team. By utilizing colored paper, trees and leaves were simulated, resulting in a realistic lifelike forest. The choice of the ""fire defender"" topic was inspired by the global crisis of forest fires. Each member of the team played a crucial role in the project, from video making to programming. The journey involved a cycle of trial and error. The success we achieved in this competition symbolizes our commitment to making a positive impact and our strong work ethic. We are grateful for the opportunity to participate moreover the recognition we received. Valuable lessons were learned from this experience, which will be beneficial in the future. Our ultimate objective is to support the security and upkeep of communities and forests. We are driven to come up with creative solutions since we recognize how important it is to address the problems caused by forest fires. We thank you for your support and for allowing us to share our journey.
Gold
Title
Climate Action Innovation Competition
Name
Hong Kong Workers’ Brigade
[Hong Kong, Grade 9]
Aberdeen Technical School
From the Winners
We are deeply honored to accept this prestigious award for our project, STG13, addressing climate change. Thank you to the competition organizers for recognizing our work. it is a testament to the power of collaboration, determination, and unwavering belief in the possibility of a sustainable future. STG13 focuses on reducing emissions, promoting renewable energy, and fostering sustainability. This award reaffirms our belief in collective action.Let's inspire others to join the fight against climate change. Together, we can implement sustainable practices worldwide. we are immensely grateful to our supporters, mentors, and advisors who have been instrumental in shaping our project and providing guidance along the way. Their unwavering belief in our vision has been a driving force behind our success. The battle against climate change requires continuous innovation, collaboration, and a relentless pursuit of sustainable solutions. Let us use this recognition as a springboard to further our efforts, to amplify our message, and to inspire a broader audience to join us on this transformative journey. Thank you to the organizers for this recognition. Let's use this award as a call to action for a better world."
Silver
Title
FG-008
Name
MUHAMMAD AMMAR HAFIZ BIN AMIZAR
MUHAMMAD FIRDAUS BIN MOHD SAIDI
ADAM NAQIB BIN MD SETARIA
[Malaysia, Grade 9]
SEKOLAH BINA INSAN YMSU
From the Winners
We from the spectra group are grateful to be the winners for this year. We are grateful to parents, teachers and friends for the support and help given. We are also grateful to the school for giving us the opportunity to highlight our talents. “EITHER WE WIN OR LEARN”
Finalist
Title
Auto Planter
Name
Yeung Kwan Ming
Chan Pak Lam
Wong Kin Ming
[Hong Kong, Grade 9]
HKSKH Bishop Hall Secondary School
From the Winners
Taking part in the 2023 Universal Robotics Challenge and emerging as winners has been an incredible experience. It fills us with a profound sense of pride and accomplishment. The competition provided a platform for us to showcase our innovative ideas and put our problem-solving skills to the test. The journey leading up to the competition was not without its challenges. We faced numerous obstacles and setbacks along the way. However, these hurdles only fueled our determination to push forward and find creative solutions. The process of brainstorming, designing, and refining our invention was a true testament to the power of teamwork and perseverance. In conclusion, the 2023 Universal Robotics Challenge has been an unforgettable experience, filled with challenges, growth, and success. It has not only boosted our confidence but also reinforced our commitment to making a positive impact through our robotics inventions. We are grateful for the opportunity and excited to embark on new robotic endeavors in the future.
Honorable Mention
Title
Robo Paper Recycler
Name
Anya Clarissa Legaspi
Riley Therese Abano
Sarah Sophia Cabodil
Alain Zachary Cabodil
[Philippines, Grade 6, 7 & 9]
De La Salle Santiago Zobel - St. Mary's College QC
From the Winners
We would like to respectfully express our sincere gratitude to URC organizers for giving us this amazing chance to present our idea on how to fight climate change with our robot paper recycling machine. We will always treasure the insightful and fulfilling experience we had in participating in this competition. We are truly appreciative of the unexpected honor of receiving the 5th place award. It inspires us to keep working toward our goal of coming up with robotics projects to combat climate change. In addition to giving us a chance to demonstrate our diligence and commitment, the competition introduced us to a network of people who share our interest in robotics and commitment to environmental sustainability. We sincerely appreciate the assistance from our coaches and the platform that the organizers gave. Our determination has been strengthened by this experience, and we can't wait to participate again in the future. We thank you for your support as we expand and for using this amazing competition to raise awareness of environmental issues.
From the Judges
Taizo Hayama, Nara University of Education Junior High School
The theme for this year’s competition was SDGs 13: Fight for the Climate. Seeing so many robots which made it through preliminaries from across the globe with ideas on fighting climate change which haven’t quite made it to Japan yet made it incredibly clear how global the Universal Robotics Challenge really is. The wealth of unique ideas including fighting wildfires, mobile wind power stations, and multipurpose nature preservation robots was a critical reminder of children’s boundless imagination, no matter where they come from.
The process of creating projects for the Idea Contest serves not only to develop a child’s technical skills, but to hone the creative power they’ll sorely need in the future. While AI is all the rage these days, it can’t hold a candle to humanity’s own creativity, and it’s surely an ability we’ll need to continue developing in ourselves. We sincerely hope that the Universal Robotics Challenge will provide children with the opportunity to foster the skills they’ll need for a brighter future.
Junior Division
1st
Score
420
(in 89:19)
Name
FAQIF ARSYAD BIN MUHAMMAD FIKRI
[Malaysia, Grade 3]
SK TENGKU INDERA PETRA
From the Winner
To my surprise, my name got called out as the winner for the Virtual Robotics Challenge International 2023, I was happy and grateful and feeling proud because I able to increase Malaysia name significantly in this competition.
Not to mention, I want to say thanks a million to those that supported me especially my parents and ICT teacher at SK Tengku Indera Petra for giving me the encouragement and support.
2nd
Score
420
(in 97:10)
Name
AHMAD HASIF BIN SUPARDI
[Malaysia, Grade 5]
SK SRI KIAMBANG
From the Winner
I started participating in the Universal Robotic Challenge competition in the Virtual Robotic Division category last 2 years. My parents encouraged me to give it a try because the learning is done through a given module. The module really helped me to understand programming by using code block because it is very interesting and fun.Last year, I was very happy because I was selected to enter at the national level. This year, I was very surprised that I was selected to participate at the international level. To appreciate this precious opportunity, I've always prepared myself by doing a lot of exercises using modules every day. My parents always support me by advising me to keep practising and not to give up easily.I felt that after learning the programming and participating in competitions, I was able to be more focused and creative on solving problems. I can also spend my free time doing some beneficial things.My plan is to continue to participate in this competition as I feel very interested in programming and I would also like to share my knowledge with other friends. May my ambition to be a programmer will be come true in the future.
3rd
Score
320
(in 118:27)
Name
Lover of Chestnuts
[Osaka (Japan), Grade 4]
Human Academy Junior Robotics Classroom: Diolagare Learning Center
From the Winner
I was really hoping for first place, but I'm really glad I got third in the whole world. I really want to get first if I join again.
Senior Division
1st
Score
590
(in 45:41)
Name
ORHAN GHAZI BIN HAFIZULFAHMI
[Malaysia, Grade 9]
SM ISLAM AL-AMIN GOMBAK
From the Winner
Assalamualaikum and good day everyone, I'm Orhan Ghazi Bin Hafizulfahmi from Malaysia. I am one of the contestants for URC GoTechUp Competition. Firstly, I want to thank my parents and family who are always there for me thorough hard times and are always supportive throughout the competition. I would also like to extend my appreciation to URC GoTechUp for organising such a great competition and giving me a chance to compete in this competition. I am thankful for the opportunity to represent Malaysia this year. It has been a wonderful experience for me even though there are some challenges and technical hiccups along the way. This competition teaches me to be calm and not panic while doing task because nothing will go right if we panic. It also increases my coding skills, I can now code faster and calmer than before! Lastly, I hope i will be given a chance to compete in this competition again next year, arigato-gozaimasu, thank you and bye! ^^
2nd
Score
590
(in 56:38)
Name
CHARLES LOH HOWE WON
[Malaysia, Grade 9]
SMK METHODIST SIBU
From the Winner
Participating in this year's Universal Robotic Challenge as a teacher/student has been an incredibly rewarding experience. The competition challenged us to expand our knowledge and skills in coding and robotics, encouraging us to think creatively and solve problems in unique ways. Besides that, the organizers did a great job in creating a well-structured and engaging event. The challenges were designed to test our robots' abilities in various scenarios.It was truly inspiring to see how students can contribute to revolutionizing different industries and improving our lives through robotics.
3rd
Score
430
(in 96:49)
Name
Koki Ishizawa
[Aichi (Japan), Grade 7]
Nagoya City Sakuragaoka Junior High
From the Winner
It's a big honor to get third place in the preliminaries and the finals. I lost some points here in the finals since my robot didn't move quite like I expected. That was really hard. I want to use that to go for number one next year!