OneRobotics Supports the Successful Conclusion of Hong Kong’s Inaugural Physical AI Hackathon 2026
Recently, the finals of Hong Kong’s inaugural Physical AI Hackathon 2026 successfully concluded at the Charles K. Kao Auditorium in Hong Kong Science Park. As a co-organizer of the event, OneRobotics provided participating teams with the lightweight, open-source embodied AI robotic arm onero A1, together with related technical support, enabling young developers to carry out algorithm deployment, robot control, hardware-software integration, and Physical AI prototype development.
The event was jointly initiated by Brizan Ventures, SpaceMiT, and alloop.ai, with OneRobotics and other organizations serving as co-organizers. It also received support from innovation and entrepreneurship organizations affiliated with The University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
As Hong Kong’s first integrated hardware-software hackathon centered on Physical AI, the event attracted young developers from Mainland China, Hong Kong, North America, Europe, Oceania, and other parts of Asia. Following the recruitment and selection process, more than 160 participants advanced to the finals. During the 48-hour development challenge, teams worked across perception, decision-making, action, and interaction, combining AI models with robotic hardware to turn creative concepts into functional Physical AI prototype systems.
onero A1 Enters the Development Arena, Enabling Rapid Physical AI Validation on Real Hardware
Physical AI development spans perception, decision-making, and physical execution. It not only requires AI models to understand and plan tasks, but also demands effective control adaptation and interaction with real-world environments. This places high requirements on the openness of development platforms and the integration of hardware and software.
To support participating teams in their innovation efforts, OneRobotics brought its lightweight, open-source embodied AI robotic arm, onero A1, to the event, providing developers with both robotic hardware and a development environment. Teams were able to deploy algorithms for applications including visual recognition, spatial perception, task planning, robotic arm control, and human-robot interaction, while validating their solutions directly on real robotic systems.
Throughout the 48-hour development process, onero A1 served not only as a robotic hardware platform, but also as an important bridge connecting AI models with the physical world. Developers were able to rapidly translate code into robotic arm movements, observe execution results in real-world scenarios, and iteratively refine perception, planning, and control strategies, accelerating projects from concepts into operational prototypes.
Top Global Developers Gather to Explore New Possibilities for Physical AI
The hackathon launched its global recruitment campaign in June 2026 and received more than 1,000 applications over a 45-day period. Ultimately, more than 160 participants were selected to compete in the finals. Among them, students accounted for 78%, with academic backgrounds spanning artificial intelligence, computer science, robotics engineering, intelligent manufacturing, microelectronics, biomedical engineering, and other disciplines.
Developers from diverse professional and academic backgrounds formed interdisciplinary teams and carried out intensive development around five challenge tracks, exploring the potential of Physical AI in robotic manipulation, intelligent manufacturing, human-robot interaction, and real-world tasks.
Following evaluation by the judging panel, a range of awards were presented, including the overall MVP Award, champions across five challenge tracks, the Most Popular Award, and the Most Creative Award.
During the event, the Physical AI Innovation Carnival was also held in parallel. OneRobotics joined a number of robotics and AI companies in showcasing innovations in robotics and AI Agents, providing developers, industry professionals, and visitors with opportunities for close-up interaction, demonstration, and exchange.
OneRobotics’ participation in Hong Kong’s inaugural Physical AI Hackathon reflects not only its support for young technology innovators and hands-on robotics development, but also a concrete step in advancing an open embodied AI ecosystem. By providing open robotic platforms such as onero A1, OneRobotics continues to lower the barriers for turning algorithmic ideas into functional robotic prototypes.
Looking ahead, OneRobotics will continue to deepen collaboration with universities, research institutions, and developer communities, helping accelerate the transition of robotics technologies from the laboratory into a broader range of real-world applications.