RoboHeads Reaches the Top of the World Robotics Championship 2026!
The University of Thessaly and the Greek academic community have achieved a remarkable international distinction, as the university’s student robotics team, RoboHeads, won the gold medal and first place worldwide in the AlpineBot university category at the RoboRAVE International World Championship 2026.
Representing the Next Generation Digital Systems Applications Laboratory (NG-DSA Lab) of the Department of Digital Systems, the team distinguished itself among international competitors at the championship, held on 11–12 August 2026 at the Osaka International Convention Center in Osaka, Japan.
This world championship victory marks RoboHeads’ greatest achievement to date and crowns a remarkable record of continuous progress. In 2025, the team secured first place in the national RoboRAVE Greece competition and went on to win the bronze medal at the RoboRAVE International World Championship in Beijing.
Within just one year, RoboHeads climbed from third to first place on the international stage, demonstrating the exceptional technical expertise, knowledge and teamwork of its members.
A Fully Autonomous Robot Designed for Challenging Conditions
The AlpineBot category challenges participants to design and build a fully autonomous robot capable of climbing a steep ramp under demanding traction conditions and placing a flag at its summit within strict time limits.
The RoboHeads robot was developed on a rubber-tracked platform and incorporates an enhanced traction system using Electric Ducted Fan (EDF) technology, a Raspberry Pi 5 computing unit, visual and inertial sensing systems for autonomous navigation, and a specially designed robotic gripper for flag placement.
The team consisted of four students from the Department of Digital Systems:
- Konstantinos Nagkoulidis
- Orestis Bouspreni
- Armando Gkiata
- Charalampos Tsaprounis
The team’s mentor and coach was Dimitrios Dimitriadis, a graduate of the Department of Digital Systems. Dimitrios Papamargaritis, also a graduate of the Department, accompanied the team to Osaka as its coordinator and delegation supervisor.
From International Competition to Real-World Applications with Social and Industrial Impact
Building on this international success, RoboHeads plans to continue developing its robotic platform at the NG-DSA Lab, exploring opportunities to apply its technologies in real-world environments.
Potential applications include search and rescue operations in inaccessible or hazardous locations, where autonomous navigation across uneven and steep terrain could help locate trapped individuals while reducing risks to rescue personnel.
Furthermore, the robot’s autonomous mobility and object-handling capabilities could be adapted for industrial inspection and maintenance, particularly in areas of facilities where human access is difficult or potentially dangerous.
A decisive factor in the team’s journey to the world championship was the substantial support provided by One Planet Thessaly, the University of Thessaly’s Innovation, Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Center, which served as the main sponsor of the Osaka delegation.
The Department of Digital Systems and the NG-DSA Lab also provided consistent and valuable support throughout the team’s preparation and development.
Το University of Thessaly takes great pride in the outstanding achievement of RoboHeads and warmly congratulates the students, graduates and everyone who contributed to this demanding and rewarding journey.
Their world championship victory demonstrates what student teams can accomplish when knowledge, creativity and perseverance are combined with strong academic and institutional support.
The University of Thessaly remains committed to actively supporting initiatives of this kind, creating opportunities for its students to develop their ideas and skills, pursue innovation and achieve distinction both nationally and internationally.
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